Machu Picchu Facts for Kids

A Picture of Machu Picchu
  • Name: Machu Picchu
  • Location: Andes Mountains, Cuzco Region, Peru
  • GPS Cordinates: 13°09′48″S 72°32′44″W
  • Building Type: Stone Estate
  • Built: 15th Century
  • Annual Visitors: Over 1.4 million (2017)
  • Annual Revenue: $6 million

23 Machu Picchu Facts for Kids

  1. Machu Picchu is a citadel estate that was built by the Inca Empire in the 15th century.
  2. Machu Picchu is in the Eastern Cordillera of the Andes Mountains in southern Peru.
  3. The GPS coordinates of Machu Picchu are 13°09′48″S 72°32′44″W.
  4. Machu Picchu is over 7,900 feet above sea level.
  5. Machu Picchu is one of the most common examples of the Inca civilization.
  6. Machu Picchu is the most well-preserved Inca estate. Its location kept it safe during the Spanish conquest.
  7. Machu Picchu is considered one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.
  8. American historian and explorer Hiram Bingham rediscovered Machu Picchu in 1911.
  9. There is evidence that prior to Hiram Bingham’s rediscovery German businessman Augusto Berns and German engineer J. M. von Hassel separately discovered Machu Picchu, plundered it and didn’t disclose the location.
  10. Archeologists don’t know the construction was started or finished for Machu Picchu.
  11. Archeologists believe it was constructed and used during the reign of two Inca rulers (Sapa Inca).
  12. Machu Picchu is believed to have built and used during the reign of Pachacutec Inca Yupanqui (1438-1471) and Túpac Inca Yupanqui (1472-1493).
  13. Archeologists believe Machu Picchu was a royal estate built for Pachacutec Inca Yupanqui.
  14. There are more than 150 buildings that make up Machu Picchu.
  15. The buildings that make up Machu Picchu include houses, baths, temples and sanctuaries.
  16. There are over 100 different flights of stairs in Machu Picchu.
  17. It’s estimated by archeologists that between 300 and 1,000 people lived at Machu Picchu, mostly supporting staff, while it was used by Pachacutec Inca Yupanqui as a royal estate.
  18. In Machu Picchu, a giant rock named “the Intihuatana” is believed to have been a sundial.
  19. In Machu Picchu, the Temple of the Sun was a temple that had a similar design to sun temple found at the Inca capital of Cuzco. A rock inside is believed to have been used as an altar.
  20. In 2017, over 1.4 million tourists visited Machu Picchu, making it the most visited tourist location in Peru.
  21. Machu Picchu was closed between January 2010 and April 2010 due to flooding caused by heavy rain. The flooding trapped over 2,000 tourists and they had to be airlifted out.
  22. Machu Picchu was the source of a disagreement between Yale University and Peru. During Hiram Bingham’s exploration of Machu Picchu, he collected over 5,000 artifacts. Peru claimed these were loaned to Yale, while Yale claimed they owned them. The disputed was resolved in 2011 when Yale returned all the artifacts to Peru.
  23. Machu Picchu was declared an UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983.

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