Vilcabamba, Peru facts for kids

Vilcabamba was the very last city of the Inca Empire. It was started by Manco Inca in 1539. The city was a place where the Incas resisted the Spanish invaders. But in 1572, the Spanish took over Vilcabamba. This event marked the end of the Inca's fight against Spanish rule.

The Story of Vilcabamba

After the Spanish conquered the Inca Empire, Vilcabamba was burned down. The area quickly became a quiet and forgotten part of Peru. People soon forgot where the city of Vilcabamba was located.

A famous explorer named Hiram Bingham found the city's ruins in 1909. They were hidden deep in a forest, about 130 kilometers west of Cuzco. However, Bingham didn't realize how important this discovery was. He thought that Machu Picchu, another ancient city he found, was the legendary 'Lost City of the Incas'.

It wasn't until new explorations happened in the 1960s that things became clearer. Many people then realized that the ruins at a place called Espíritu Pampa were the true Vilcabamba. This was the real 'Lost City of the Incas' from the legends.

Images for kids

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  A map of Vilcabamba, Peru reflecting the expedition of Hiram Bingham in 1915.

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  Hiram Bingham III with a local guide on a jungle bridge at Vilcabamba, 1911.

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  Edmundo Guillén and Elżbieta Dzikowska in the ruins of Vilcabamba, photo taken by Tony Halik in 1976.

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  Tree over a structure.

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  Vilcabamba.

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  Inca water fall.

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  Inca water fall.

See also

In Spanish: Espíritu Pampa para niños