Sacred-Sites International Blog

“Machu Picchu is a trip to the serenity of the soul, to the eternal fusion with the cosmos; where we feel our fragility. It is one of the greatest marvels of South America. A resting place of butterflies in the epicentre of the great circle of life. One more miracle.”

Pablo Neruda, The Heights of Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu: Sacred Valley by Rubyk

On July 24^th, 1911, American historian Hiram Bingham (who, interestingly, is an inspiration for the Indiana Jones character in the eponymous film series) entered the Incan lost city of Machu Picchu. In the Cuzco region of Peru, Machu Picchu lies on a ridge descending from the sacred mountain Salcantay. The people of the Cuzco region revere Salcantay and its “brother” mountain deity Ausangate. Johan Reinhard states in his study of the site, Machu Picchu: The Sacred Center, “these mountains were often the first to be named in rituals […] and their permission is frequently sought before making offerings to the other mountains.” Salcantay lies due south of Machu Picchu. The peak Huayna Picchu and two other mountains, Pumasillo and Veronica, lie in the other cardinal directions. These peaks create a sacred boundary around the Incan city that indicates its ceremonial significance. In addition, the sacred Urumbamba River flows in a circle around the site, flowing in the same direction as the passage of the sun. Machu Picchu’s significance lies not only in its ancient ceremonial origins, but also its place as symbol of national heritage for citizens of Peru and as a way to keep public interest alive in preserving native peoples, their homes, and historic architecture in that region. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) marked Machu Picchu as a World Heritage site in 1983, and the organization continues to watch over the Peruvian government and others to ensure the preservation of the sacred region.

However, despites efforts to protect the site, the growth of tourism in the region has led to degradation of the land and delicate architecture of Machu Picchu. Earlier in July, Peru hosted a 100^th anniversary celebration of the site’s discovery, complete with fireworks and a laser light show. UNESCO objected to a celebration within the city itself, but the event drew so many visitors that conservationists feared overcrowding would lead to more ruin for the area surrounding the site, and therefore for the site itself. Erosion of pathways, destroyed vegetation, salt deposits from curious tourist hands on the stones, litter, and fumes from transportation in and out of the ruins leave the fragile ruins polluted and slowly falling apart.

The ideological battle between the damaging and the positive effects of tourism continues to this day. Unless some sort of sustainable system for tourism can be maintained, the increased accessibility of Machu Picchu to people could lead to some irreversible effects on one of the most significant archeological discoveries of mankind.

Preservation Efforts

Machu Picchu has become a hotspot for tourists in Peru, bringing in approximately 800,000 people as measured in 2010, up from 400,000 in 2003, and generating up to 70% of the country’s tourism revenue and $40 million a year for the nation’s economy. An average of 3-400 tourists visit the site each day, with a high of 1,500-2,000 in a higher tourist season. The UNESCO Management Plan, however, has stated that more than 917 visitors a day (and no more than 385 at any time) would lead to significant environmental decline. Peru’s National Institute of Culture gave the maximum carrying capacity of 2,000 visitors a day along with an increased entry fee in the early 2000s; the Peruvian government has capped the number of visitors to 2,500 a day.

A town at the base of the mountain, Aguas Calientes, supports the influx of tourists with a visitor center, hotels, shops, and restaurants. Three-hour train rides from Cuzco on Perurail, which have been operating since 1999, bring eager tourists into the site, and many people take the two to four-day-long hike on the Inca Trail into the city.  In addition, at the ruins themselves is one hotel, a museum, and overnight campsites.

Growth of tourism and related businesses in the past had resulted in overcrowding issues and unregulated tour operators. Conservation of the site is difficult due to the number of tourists and insufficient regulation.

In 2006, the mayor of the Convención province authorized the construction of a bridge from the village of Santa Teresa to Machu Picchu to help the town export goods as well as increase tourism in the area.  Although the government and other organizations warned her against it, as the danger to Machu Picchu due to increased automobile and tourist traffic would be increased, the mayor, Felia Castro, pushed the initiative through. The World Bank since then looked to find ways to mitigate the bridge’s detrimental affects by restricting automobile traffic. The controversy around the bridge’s construction depicts the fear of overcrowding and destruction to the ruins and the surrounding environment due to increased tourism.

Issues around Machu Picchu

The Inca people receive much attention due to the lost city they left behind. However, the uncontacted indigenous tribes of Peru do not get quite as much consideration.

According to a news story from Survival International, the Peruvian government is planning to grant access to the lands of native tribes in the Kugapakori-Nahua-Nanti reserve, 100 kilometers away from Machu Picchu, to oil and gas companies. Although it is true that such resources are exploited in order to generate energy for citizens throughout the country, such access allows these companies, with no permission from the tribes themselves, to exploit the lives of the natives who live in these lands.

Many have expressed their regret about the ironic fact that while the government celebrates the legacy of the Inca with a large celebration on the anniversary of the discovery of Machu Picchu, it allows the traditional lifestyle local indigenous peoples to fall apart.

Conclusion

In July 2007, Machu Picchu was elected one of the new Seven Wonders of the World by a popularity poll set up by the New7Wonders Foundation, which is controlled by the Swiss government. Machu Picchu survives not simply as one of the remarkable legacies of the Incan Empire, but also as a great illustration of a man-made city perfectly integrated into its sacred environment. Along with the current limitations on the number of tourists, other measures should be taken in order to protect this sacred site: perhaps implementing a public education program about the importance of the site and how to conserve it best, including signs along pathways and within the ruins that explain how to prevent damage by not touching the stones, more receptacles to take care of litter, and more people watching over the crowds. The Peruvian government, the tourism industry, and visitors themselves must work together to protect Machu Picchu while continuing to learn and benefit from its awe-inspiring setting. It is possible, but it will take diligence and compromise from all sides in order to make tourism at Machu Picchu truly sustainable.

In addition, care should be taken so that indigenous descendants of the Inca living around Machu Picchu also receive protection and have equal access to Machu Picchu.