Its beautiful environment, its many well-built temples and several sectors and terraces atop a rather vertical mountain ridge make a visit to Machu Picchu an unforgettable experience. At this point we must ask ourselves two questions. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay What was the purpose of building Machu Picchu? Although we do not have the details of its past, we can assume that its primary functions were those of an administrative center for the production of the crops grown on its steep terraces and, at the same time, of a religious center dedicated to the gods from which the its inhabitants believed their existence depended on: the God of Water and Mother Earth, or Pachamama, and the Sun. Along with other agricultural centers in the Vilcabamba region, Machu Picchu must have been conceived in the context of a vast state project, the whose object was the extension of agricultural activity in the Amazonian Andes. This hypothesis is based on the fact that land suitable for agriculture is scarce in Peru, both in the highlands and in the coastal Andes. Since the dawn of Andean civilizations, soils have proved insufficient while the population grew, something common to all ancient societies that lived on agriculture. Another factor: the El Niño phenomenon, which has always affected food production in Peru and led people to hunger, regularly triggering periods of drought and floods, as well as other meteorological disasters. It was believed that such catastrophes could only be prevented through magical-religious practices, which is why they always wanted to be very close to the sun and the other things they worshipped. Why did they abandon him? There are several hypotheses that try to explain the reason for this catastrophe. extraordinary place could be suddenly abandoned, even if it was never discovered by the Spanish invaders. With the European irruption and destruction of the Inca state, Machu Picchu and other Inca sites in the area were likely abandoned as its inhabitants were recruited by Manco Inca and his successors from 1536 to 1572, to resist Spanish domination. They may 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. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper 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 estate" for the next Inca. Other experts say the city's water supply may have dried up. The truth about these vital matters will likely forever remain a mystery. The only thing we can do is visit and be enchanted by this extraordinary structure.