Famous place called wrong name for over 100 years

According to a recent report, one of the most famous sites in the world has been called the wrong name for more than a century. Researchers say that the real name of Machu Picchu is probably Huayna Picchu, which translates to “new or young mountain peak” in the Quechua language. Machu Picchu means “old mountain peak.”

It’s believed that Huayna Picchu was built around 1420 and abandoned after the Spanish came. In 1911, it was “rediscovered” by American explorer Hiram Bingham, who decided to call the ancient site Machu Picchu. Researchers say that locals actually knew about the site long before Bingham arrived, and they found several old documents that called it Huayna Picchu. They explained that many explorers couldn’t speak Quechua well and didn’t really try to research place names.

Although the researchers feel that Huayna Picchu is the correct name for the site, they don’t recommend changing its name because Machu Picchu is known all over the world. It’s been published in countless books, articles, and legal documents, and the Peruvian people and government have accepted Machu Picchu as the modern name of the site.