Machu Picchu is an Inca settlement located in the High Andes of Peru in the Urubamba Valley, north of Cuzco. The site, perched high above the Urubamba river, has been variously described as a fortress, imperial retreat and ceremonial precinct. It was founded by Pachacuti Inca Yupanqui in c. 1450 CE, had capacity for around 1,000 residents at its peak, and ranked amongst the most sacred of all sites for the Inca. Following the collapse of the Inca empire, Machu Picchu was abandoned and forgotten, only to be rediscovered in 1911 CE by the explorer Hiram Bingham. Machu Picchu is listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.
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Definition
Timeline
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c. 1425 - 1532The Inca Empire flourishes in South America.
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1438 - 1471Pachacuti Inca Yupanqui reigns as the leader of the Inca Empire.
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c. 1450Pachacuti Inca Yupanqui founds Machu Picchu in the High Andes.
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c. 1510The Inca abandon the settlement of Machu Picchu.
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1532Francsico Pizarro and the Spanish conquistadors arrive in South America.
