Machu Picchu is one of the earth"s magical places. The ruined city seems to be the work of giants, full of mysteries, unwilling to reveal its secrets. Nevertheless, more than any other place, it has become the symbol of the vanished culture of its architects, the Incas. They were at the height of their power when they were smitten by a hitherto unknown disease: the insatiable greed for gold which the Europeans introduced to America. This has been responsible, right up to the present day, for the destruction of countless treasures created by the skilful Incan craftsmen, whose empire extended over three hundred thousand square miles.Despite this devastation, numerous buildings, statues and other finds still testify to the creative energy of the Incas and their ancestors.