10 things you didn't know about Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu is a point of attraction for enormous quantity of tourists from all over the world due to its architectural, cultural and historical magnificence. Being a mystery itself, this monumental town also appears to be an object of multiple scientific and archeological researches, revealing new facts from time to time. This is one more advantage, which alert an attention of visitors, who are intended to discover the enigmatic nature of Machu Picchu - one of the new seven Wonders of the World, the last one stronghold of Incas civilization, hidden in South-American jungles. To visit Machu Picchu one should be prepared that it should be planned, as far as there are no tickets sold on site's entrance. They might be purchased in cultural center of Aguascalientes or in Cusco National University of Culture. Hence, here are some issues one might not learn while getting around this breathtaking site.

1. It was mentioned not without a reason that Machu Picchu was the last one shelter of Incas, who escaped here after brutal and violent invasion of Spanish conquistadors willing to turn all the indigenous people into Christianity. So, Incas came here with the entire religious ammunition: high priests took the sacred virgins of the Sun (the obligatory part of every religious ritual in Incas culture), tools, utensils, religious objects, servants and artisans to the protected town, remaining unknown to the conquerors.
2. Speaking about sacred virgins of the Sun, the researchers have revealed that they contributed to the priority of religion in Machu Picchu and comprised a big part of population. The strange regularity points out that there were 10 women per one man living in this Lost City because of these girls.
3. The location of Machu Picchu was chosen with scientific accurateness. The idea of creation this city as a fortress also takes place due to preventing role of Urubamba River, which makes a loop around Machu Picchu.
4. The city of Machu Picchu was left nearly in 1800 and was discovered by Hiram Bingham (American explorer) only in 1911 by accident. Although, the archeological investigations have not revealed any golden item while searching around architectural wander. As considered, gold was likely to be valued as a design material among Incas, rather than money equivalent. According to another version, it was taken either by high priests, who eventually left, or by Bingham due to some assumptions that his collection of gold maintains items with "from Machu Picchu's digging" mark.
5. The results of archeological explorations also emphasize the priority of Sun and stone in religious beliefs of Incas due to the complex of ceremonial constructions, including the Temple of the Sun.
6. According to certain legends, the settlement of Machu Picchu was erected by both humans and, surprisingly, birds. In the 20th century zoologists have discovered an interesting bird species in South America, which with the help of some plant can make nests in stones (1 meter in deep). Hence, there is a chance that with juice of this plant these birds covered stone slabs of Machu Picchu in the process of construction.
7. One of the mysteries scientists cannot enlighten how Incas developed their culture and civilization, including Machu Picchu, in a very short period of time. In addition, the entire architecture has been preserved in a good shape without any signs of destruction or military actions.
8. The constructions of Incas within Machu Picchu are made in a very strange and precise way: big stone slabs fit each other perfectly without any cementing solution. Apparently, it is not even possible to put a sheet of paper between them.
9. Since 1980s one more theory has appeared, which explains the motifs of Machu Picchu's creation as royal residency of Pachacuti Inca, the creator of Lost City. It is based on the Spanish document of the 16th century, which mentions the royal estate Picchu, which was somewhere, where they found Machu Picchu.
10. Machu Picchu is not the only one architectural monument, which is left after Incas civilization disappeared. Saksaywaman is situated in Cusco and as well as Machu Picchu it survived notwithstanding epidemics of smallpox and other diseases, earthquakes and natural disasters.