Which civilization built Machu Picchu?

Machu Picchu was built by the Inca civilization around 1450 CE, during the reign of Emperor Pachacuti (Inca Yupanqui). Situated at 2,430 meters in the Andes mountains of Peru, it served as a royal estate and sacred religious site rather than a major city — housing an estimated 750 residents at its peak. The site features extraordinary engineering: 150+ buildings, sophisticated water management (16 fountains fed by a spring), and terraces that prevented erosion on the steep slopes. The Inca built it without wheels, iron tools, or mortar — stones were cut so precisely they fit together without any binding material. It was abandoned around 1572, likely due to the Spanish conquest. American historian Hiram Bingham III brought it to international attention in 1911, and it became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983.