Machu Picchu trivia
Machu Picchu Mini Quiz
Test your knowledge with these top questions!
Using stones that fit together perfectly without mortar, what masonry style was used to build the walls of Machu Picchu?
This mortarless technique made structures earthquake-resistant, as stones would dance and settle back into place.
Located thousands of feet above sea level, Machu Picchu sits in what misty ecosystem that bridges the Andes and the Amazon?
Machu Picchu's cloud forest, at about 8,000 feet elevation, features constant mist from low-lying clouds, fostering high biodiversity with over 200 orchid species and the rare Andean spectacled bear.
Located high in the Peruvian clouds, what major South American mountain range is home to Machu Picchu?
The Incas built an 18,000-mile road system called the Qhapaq Ñan to connect their empire across the range.
Often called the "Lost City of the Incas," Machu Picchu stands high in the Andes Mountains of which country?
Machu Picchu, built in the 15th century by the Incas, was abandoned during the Spanish conquest and rediscovered in 1911, preserving its structures intact in Peru's Sacred Valley.
In 1911, what American explorer brought the ruins of Machu Picchu to international attention?
He was actually searching for Vilcabamba, the "lost" stronghold of the last Incan rulers, when he found the site.
Separating the Pacific coast from the Amazon, what longest continental mountain range is home to Machu Picchu?
The Andes, stretching 7,000 km along South America's western edge, are the longest continental mountain range and cradle the 15th-century Inca citadel of Machu Picchu.
Flowing through the Sacred Valley, what river wraps around the base of the Incan ruins at Machu Picchu?
The Incas considered the river a reflection of the Milky Way and built many of their sacred sites along its banks.
Once the historic capital of the Inca Empire, what high-altitude city serves as the main gateway to Machu Picchu?
Cusco, at 3,399 meters above sea level, was the Inca Empire's capital from the 13th century until the Spanish conquest and is the main base for trains to Machu Picchu.
Creating a deep canyon below the ruins, what winding river encircles the base of the mountain where Machu Picchu sits?
The Urubamba River, also called the Vilcanota, flows through Peru's Sacred Valley and has carved a dramatic 1,000-foot-deep canyon around Machu Picchu's base over thousands of years.
Built by the Inca Empire in the 15th century, what Peruvian landmark is often called the "Lost City"?
Its precisely cut stones fit so tightly that even a thin knife blade cannot be inserted between them.