Machu+Picchu

**Machu Picchu**
Machu Picchu is a city located in the Andes Mountains in Peru. It lies 43 miles northwest of Cuzco at the top of a ridge, hiding it from the Urabamba gorge below. The ridge is between a block of highland and the Huaynac Picchu, around which the Urubamba River lies. The surrounding area is covered in dense bush, some of it covering Pre-Colombian cultivation terraces. Machu Picchu which means "Old Peak"was most likely a royal estate and religious retreat. It was built between 1460 and 1470 AD by Pachacuti Inca Yupanqui. The city has an altitude of 8,000 feet, and is high above the Urubamba River canyon. After Pachacuti’s death, Machu Picchu became the property of his //allus//, which was responsible for it’s maintenance, administration, and any new construction.