Designated as the Historical Capital of Peru by the Constitution of Peru, Cusco, also known as Cuzco, was the site of the historic capital of the Inca Empire. In 1911, explorer Hiram Bingham used the city as a base for the expedition in which he rediscovered the ruins of Machu Picchu. At present time, Cusco is Peru's most important tourist destination and is being visited by almost 2 million visitors a year. The city lies near the Urubamba Valley of the Andes mountain range and has an elevation of 11,200 ft. Cusco was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983.