Peru is a country of dramatic contrasts—Pacific coastline, high Andean peaks, and the vast Amazon basin. Among its most iconic places is Machu Picchu, the Inca citadel perched on a mountain ridge above the Urubamba River valley. Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it remains one of the world’s most compelling examples of pre‑Columbian engineering and urban planning. Why Machu Picchu matters Built in the 15th century during the reign of the Inca emperor Pachacuti, Machu Pic