The Temple of Machu Picchu

• Machu Picchu, meaning "Old Peak", is an ancient temple in the Andes at the inmpressive elevation of 9060 feet.
• The complex itself is a small self-sustaining city with agricultural terraces and natural springs enough to feed and water the entire population of the 5-mile wide city.
• The city contains palaces, baths, sanctuaries,and over 150 houses carved from the beautiful granite of the mountain top.
• The main function of Machu Picchu was that of an astronomical observatory and the habitation of the Intihuatana Stone which precisely indicates the date of the two equinoxes and other significant celestial occurences.
• Intihautana Stones were the most sacred and powerful spiritual objects to the Inca; legend says that sensitive people who place their forehead to the stone will have their eyes opened to the spirit world. The Spaniards consistently hunted down and destroyed the Intihuatana Stones in order to kill or disperse the dieties linked to each sacred object. 
• The Inca Empire spanned 4300 miles along the coast of South America and was larger than any midieval or contemporary empire and was the same length, longitudinally, as the Roman Empire.
• The fact that Machu Picchu is completely self-sustaining is incredibly impressive as is the expanse of the Empire itself.