Situated 8,000 feet above sea level on a mountain ridge above Urubamba Valley in Peru is the magical engineering wonder, pre-Columbian Inca site Machu Picchu. Built in the classical Inca style during the height of the empire in 1450, Machu Picchu shined in its glory days with beautiful white granite walls, topped with gold-colored thatched roofs.

Discovered by Hiram Bingham, Machu Picchu contains 200 stone structures placed on a sophisticated set of approximately 700 fortifying terraces carved into the mountain. Peru’s wildly popular tourist attraction, the breathtaking archaeological site has three primary buildings, the Intihuatana, the Temple of the Sun and the Room of the Three Windows, in its Sacred District. What’s truly remarkable, however, about the area is the underground, complex engineering feat that lies just beneath the citadel. There are more than 100 drains that channel rainfall down the mountain, 16 fountain systems that provided drinking water as well as fascinating soil engineering throughout the terraces that protect the structures from the perils of earthquakes and heavy, seasonal rainfall. The Inca figured out the principles of low-impact development for effective stormwater management long before the technical terms existed as important concepts in today’s sweeping sustainability revolution.

Machu Picchu has been honored as one of the world’s top human-built wonders according to nearly 90 million voters at New 7 Wonders of the world. Many travel companies offer specialized Machu Picchu tours and treks, including organizations like Karikuy and Intense Peru. A variety of travel packages are available, including a classic four-day trek on The Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, Machu Picchu by car and Sacred Valley Tour with Cusco City highlights. Feeling adventurous? Plan a trip to see the world’s mysterious wonder Machu Picchu.