Machu Picchu -- by Sarah

October 6, 2008

Machu Picchu is a place I have wanted to visit for a long time, from reading about it in my Spanish textbooks to seeing articles on Machu Picchu in the National Geographic.

Machu Picchu is one of the historical mysteries remaining in the world, like Easter Island and the early American settlers at Roanoke. There are many theories on when and why Machu Picchu was built and when and why it was abandoned. It is truly a feat of civil engineering, being perched on top of a mountain in an area known for earthquakes and landslides. So far the builders´ work has survived against the odds.

Machu Picchu is one of the few cities that was not discovered by the Spanish when they conquered the Incan empire and is thus considered sacred to the Quechuan people. As our guide explained, there would surely be a church in the middle of Machu Picchu had it been discovered by the Spanish.

Pictures: http://picasaweb.google.es/cassidy.claassen/MachuPicchu#