Machu Picchu: tra conoscenza e gestione

At 2, 430 meters above sea level, in the middle of the tropical forest between the Peruvian Andes and the Amazon Basin, the sanctuary of Machu Picchu rises majestically. Machu Picchu is considered a masterpiece of symbiosis between architecture and landscape and an admirable result of the ingenuity and technique of the Inca civilization. Its steep walls, terraces and gigantic ramps give the impression of having been carved into the cliffs of the rock, as if they were part of it. The natural framework has a very varied flora and fauna. The choice of place to settle was dictated both by its dominant position with respect to a surrounding landscape, recognized as sacred by the Inca, and by the availability of large quantities of building material. Built in the 15th century, Machu Picchu was abandoned after the conquest of the Inca empire, the so-called Tawantinsuyu, by the Spaniards in the 16th century. Only in 1911 the monumental complex was made known thanks to the discovery of Hiram Bingham who mistakenly believed he had found Vilcabamba, the last refuge of the Incas until the fall of the Empire by the Spaniards in 1572. Machu Picchu is a treasure chest, many of which have not yet been unveiled. Therefore it is the subject of archaeological investigations based on the most advanced geophysical investigation technologies thanks to the collaboration of the Sanctuary's management body and the National Archaeological Park of Machupicchu (SHM-PANM) with Italian and Polish research groups. Thanks to a wise knowledge of geomorphology, the Incas have carried out an extraordinary work of environmental engineering, with the multiple purpose of mitigating the hydrogeological risks, exploiting the lithic resources for the construction of the architectures and, by means of terracing works (the 'andenas'), practicing agriculture. The complex hydrogeology, the location of the site on a system of faults, the weathering stone buildings, accelerated in the latter also due to climate change and the impact of tourism pose the need to work towards a sustainable management of cultural heritage and landscape through effective planned maintenance actions, the rational management of tourist visit routes and conservation status monitoring with the most advanced technologies. From knowledge to monitoring, the work of SHM-PANM is carried out with a multidisciplinary approach that is careful to protection and monitoring, to the improvement of historical-archaeological knowledge, and to make the visit of Machu Picchu an unforgettable experience