When Francisco Pizarro and the Spanish conquistadors invaded Peru in the 16th century, they got their hands on all of the gold and treasures they could - except for the those at the mighty citadel of Machu Picchu. The Spaniards, in fact, never did find Machu Picchu, a fact that is somewhat of a source of pride to Peruvians today.
Flash forward to July 24, 1911 - 100 years ago today - when a Yale University professor named Hiram Bingham discovered the lost fortress and began to spread its fame to the rest of the world.
Well, there you have it - your useless trivia of the day. Or your history lesson. Take it any way you want to.
It's a big deal to me because, well, Machu Picchu was part of our mission boundaries in Peru, located just a short train ride from the city of Cusco, where I spent five months. It's a holy place to many Peruvians, to the religious and non-religious alike, but most especially to the Latter-day Saints, some of who believe it is the setting of some important Book of Mormon events.
Whether or not that's the case is really anyone's guess, but if you've been to Machu Picchu, then you can state unequivocally that you've stood in one of the most beautiful places on Earth.
Flash forward to July 24, 1911 - 100 years ago today - when a Yale University professor named Hiram Bingham discovered the lost fortress and began to spread its fame to the rest of the world.
Well, there you have it - your useless trivia of the day. Or your history lesson. Take it any way you want to.It's a big deal to me because, well, Machu Picchu was part of our mission boundaries in Peru, located just a short train ride from the city of Cusco, where I spent five months. It's a holy place to many Peruvians, to the religious and non-religious alike, but most especially to the Latter-day Saints, some of who believe it is the setting of some important Book of Mormon events.
Whether or not that's the case is really anyone's guess, but if you've been to Machu Picchu, then you can state unequivocally that you've stood in one of the most beautiful places on Earth.
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