Machu Picchu, Peru

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A mountaintop cultural wonder. International Day for Monuments and Sites

Located high in the Andes Mountains, Peru’s Machu Picchu is believed to have been an estate for the Inca emperor Pachacuti. This 'Lost City of the Incas' is a perfect fit for UNESCO’s International Day for Monuments and Sites, as it is a cultural symbol that represents the memory of an entire people. The International Council on Monuments and Sites proposed this day of observation, adopted in 1983. The Pueblo Indian dwellings of Mesa Verde, the Taj Mahal, the Great Pyramid of Giza, and the Parthenon are among the many celebrated monuments, each giving us an opportunity to look back at the cultures that came before us and preserve their memory for future generations.