The Mysterious Machu Picchu: A Sky City That Appeared Out of Nowhere?

By / MOOK Scenic Spots Family Travel Life Network Editorial Department

Machu Picchu, the real-life inspiration for the Sky City in the works of legendary Japanese animation director Hayao Miyazaki. In the Quechua language, Machu Picchu means "old mountain peak." The ancient temple of Machu Picchu is situated on a stunning high mountain over 100 kilometers northwest of Cusco, the former capital of the Inca Empire, surrounded by tropical jungle. The ancient city sits at an altitude of 2,400 meters, built atop a cliff with the Urubamba River rushing below day and night. Due to its sacred, mysterious, and isolated atmosphere, Machu Picchu was designated a UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage site in 1983, and in 2007, it was listed as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.

Although Machu Picchu is world-famous, very little is actually known about its history, and the many unanswered questions surrounding its past only deepen its mystery. The Inca culture had no written language; history was recorded solely through unique knot markings and oral tradition, leaving no written records. Machu Picchu’s magnificent architecture and palaces have long been hidden away on this narrow mountain ridge. It has been an enduring mystery since the Spanish invasion of Peru, especially considering it was strangely overlooked for so long — making it all the more perplexing. This gap in historical knowledge makes Machu Picchu seem like an ancient city that appeared out of nowhere on Earth. Its true origins, purpose, and the reasons for its current abandonment remain unresolved.