Its magnificent setting, numerous well-built temples and various sectors and terraces atop a fairly vertical mountain ridge make a visit to Machu Picchu an unforgettable experience. At this point, we need to ask ourselves two questions: Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why violent video games should not be banned”?Get the original essayWhat was the purpose of building Machu Picchu?Although we don't have the details of its past, we can assume that its main functions were those of an administrative center for the production of crops grown on its steep terraces and, at the same time, a religious center dedicated to the gods on which its inhabitants believed their existence depended: the God of Water and of Mother Earth, or Pachamama, and the Sun. Along with other agrarian centers in the Vilcabamba region, Machu Picchu must have been designed as part of a vast state project whose object was the extension of agricultural activity in the Amazonian Andes. This hypothesis is based on the fact that in Peru, land suitable for agriculture is rare, both in the highlands and in the coastal Andes. Since the dawn of Andean civilizations, soils have proven insufficient as populations have increased, something that was common to all ancient societies that made their living from agriculture. Another factor: the El Niño phenomenon, which has historically affected food production in Peru and caused hunger among the population, which regularly causes periods of drought and floods, as well as other weather calamities. It was believed that such disasters could only be avoided through magico-religious practices, which is why they always wanted to be very close to the sun and other things they worshiped. Why did they abandon him? There are several hypotheses that try to explain why such a phenomenon This extraordinary place could have been suddenly abandoned, even if it was never discovered by the Spanish invaders. With the European irruption and the destruction of the Inca state, Machu Picchu and other Inca sites in the region were likely abandoned as its inhabitants were recruited by Manco Inca and his successors from 1536 to 1572, to resist Spanish domination. They could have sought refuge in the more distant Vilcabamba region, in the Vilcabamba river basins. We have historical evidence to support this hypothesis, since such forced recruitments occurred in similar areas, where the entire population followed Manco Inca. Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a personalized article from our expert writers now. Get Custom EssayThe abandonment of Machu Picchu can also be explained by the death of Pachacutec and the construction of a new "royal domain" for the next Inca. Other experts say the city's water supply may have dried up. The truth about these vital questions will likely forever remain a mystery. The only thing we can do is visit and let ourselves be charmed by this amazing structure..