Here is what Machu Picchu REALLY looks like.

Here are some undoctored/uncolored real photographs from my trip to Maccu Picchu, Peru in 2007. I was on a train going towards Cusco when the big 2007 earthquake hit and the train was rocking back and forth on the tracks. Luckily were were stationary at the time and there was no derailment. Several aftershocks happened after I got to Cusco and each time everyone would run out of the buildings and into the street because no one had much faith in those old buildings!

Anyways, here are the photos. Enjoy!

Machu Picchu Facts:

• One of the Seven Wonders of the World.

• No wheels were used to transport heavy rocks for the construction of the city.

• Structures were built with a technique called “ashlar.” Stones are cut to fit together without mortar. Remarkably, not even a needle can fit in between two stones.

• The citadel is divided in two parts: Hanan and Urin according with the Inca tradition.

• In the Quechua native language, “Machu Picchu” means “Old Peak” or “Old Mountain.”

• Many of the stones that were used to build the city weighed more than 50 tons. How did these stones get up the mountain? Some were chiseled from the granite bedrock of the mountain ridge. For others, hundreds of men pushed the heavy rocks up the steep mountain side.

• On the Inca Trail, many porters sleep with a shiny metal object or mirror beneath them. They believe it sends away spirits coming up through the earth and whisks them away. Ask any guide or porter, and most will tell you that sometimes they have experienced the feeling of being pulled out of their tents by spirits of the past.

• The exact age of Machu Picchu, the most representative and ancient city of Peru, has been clarified by scientific studies on the geology and archaeology of the site. Learn more about the origins of Machu Picchu >>>

• Can you imagine the size and scale of Machu Picchu? The sanctuary is located in the district of Machu Picchu, in the province of Urubamba in the department of Cusco. The site is South America’s most impressive archaeological ruin. See how Machu Picchu was constructed >>>

• Many people ask: why is Machu Picchu so important? The Citadel of Machu Picchu is considered the main tourist attraction in Peru and one of the most visited worldwide. Explore Inca ingenuity at Machu Picchu >>>

• Machu Picchu is also known as the Lost City of the Incas. It is a mysterious wonder. A city of stone built without the aid of wheels or iron tools. This is the best example of Inca engineering. More than 600 terraces prevent the city from sliding down the mountain. A water supply system extends over a length of about 1 km.