This geocache is part of the 2024 West Bend Cache Ba$h which will take you Around the World in 66 caches. This cache is one in a series of 7 caches in Ridge Run Park that highlight the New Wonders of the World. A huge thank you to jspleva for the geocache container design! Park Hours: 6AM-11PM
In 2000 a Swiss foundation launched a campaign to determine the New Seven Wonders of the World. Given that the Original Wonders list was compiled in the second century BCE--and that only one of them was still standing (the Pyramids of Giza)--it seemed time for an update. The final results were announced in 2007.
Machu Picchu
Machu Picchu is the site of ancient Inca ruins. It is located about 50 miles northwest of Cuzco, Peru, in the Andes Mountains between the two Peaks--Machu Picchu (Old Peak) and Huayna Picchu (New Peak).
The reason for the site’s abandonment is unknown, but lack of water may have been a factor. Machu Picchu was discovered in 1911 by Yale University professor Hiran Bingham.
The dwellings were probably built and occupied from the mid-15th to the mid-16th century. Machu Picchu may have been the palace complex of the ruler Pachacuti Ina Yupanqui who reigned from 1438-1471. The southern, eastern, and western portions are surrounded by dozens of agricultural terraces formerly watered by an aqueduct system. Walkways and thousands of steps consisting of stone blocks and footholds carved into the rock connect the plazas, residential areas, terraces, cemetery, and major buildings. The formal entrance is located at the southeastern end and leads out to the Inca Trail.
The ruins are a popular tourist attraction. They are commonly reached in a day trip by train. Once at Aguas Calientes, the gateway to Machu Picchu, travelers can ride a bus or walk 4,000 feet up hill to get to the ruins. Some visitors complete a 3-6 day hike from Cuzco to the ruins via the Inca Trail.
