<< Our Photo Pages >> Cusco - Qorikancha - Ancient Temple in Peru
Submitted by bat400 on Saturday, 19 January 2019 Page Views: 1259
Multi-periodSite Name: Cusco - Qorikancha Alternative Name: Qorikancha, Temple of the Sun, Intikancha, IntiwasiCountry: Peru Type: Ancient Temple
Nearest Town: Cusco
Latitude: 13.52S Longitude: 71.976W
Condition:
5 | Perfect |
4 | Almost Perfect |
3 | Reasonable but with some damage |
2 | Ruined but still recognisable as an ancient site |
1 | Pretty much destroyed, possibly visible as crop marks |
0 | No data. |
-1 | Completely destroyed |
5 | Superb |
4 | Good |
3 | Ordinary |
2 | Not Good |
1 | Awful |
0 | No data. |
5 | Can be driven to, probably with disabled access |
4 | Short walk on a footpath |
3 | Requiring a bit more of a walk |
2 | A long walk |
1 | In the middle of nowhere, a nightmare to find |
0 | No data. |
5 | co-ordinates taken by GPS or official recorded co-ordinates |
4 | co-ordinates scaled from a detailed map |
3 | co-ordinates scaled from a bad map |
2 | co-ordinates of the nearest village |
1 | co-ordinates of the nearest town |
0 | no data |
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bat400 visited on 17th Sep 2018 - their rating: Cond: 2 Amb: 4 Access: 5
The Qorikancha ("Golden Enclosure" in Quechua) was the supreme religious complex in the original Inca region and contained the greatest Temple dedicated to Inti, the sun god, in the empire. The Inca said that the Sun Temple (Intiwasi,) had originally been build by its legendary first ruler Manco Capac (ca 12th Century,) and more certainly the complex was rebuilt in the 15th century by Pachacuti Inca Yupanqui.
After taking Cusco the Spanish were amazed by the sumptuousness of the complex and made several records, both of what they saw themselves and descriptions of informants as the temple had already been stripped of many riches to pay the Inca Atahualpa's ransom.
The surrounding walls and sun temple structures were built of granite using fine ashlar masonry techniques. The walls of the Intiwasi were decorated with sheets of gold, golden disks, and the liturgical objects were also made from gold. Five other temples to various deities were also within the complex, grouped around a courtyard with an artificial garden dedicated to Inti and with life-sized plants, animals, and farmers fashioned from gold.
The complex was completely looted before being substantially disassembled prior to building the Convent and church of Santo Domingo on the same location. Although hidden beneath the church structure, many of the temple walls and the outer complex walls were revealed after 20th century earthquakes and are now visible as a museum.
Below the Coricancha wall and the church there is a large enclosed garden with small water features. This area and an underground museum are sites included on the Cusco area tourist ticket. Entry to the Santa Domingo church and the remaining features of the Coricancha are a separate entrance fee.
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