Coricancha (Qorikancha) – Temple of the Sun, Cusco
Koricancha · Qurikancha · Santo Domingo Temple
Late Intermediate – Late Horizon (1200–1533, imperial 1440–1532)·Inca (Manco Capac to Atahualpa)·🇵🇪 Cusco, Cusco Province, Peru
About
About Coricancha (Qorikancha) – Temple of the Sun, Cusco
Supreme Inca sanctuary (c.1200–1533, imperial rebuild Pachacuti c.1440) at heart of Cusco's sacred geography: trapezoidal-walled temenos enclosing Sun Temple curved ashlar wall (6 m high, 55 m long, 70° Batter, finest polygonal blocks 2 m), five shrines to Sun, Moon, Venus, Thunder, Rainbow surrounding golden garden of life-size maize llamas in gold-silver. Spanish superimposed Santo Domingo church (1534–1650) but Inca curved wall survived 1650 quake intact demonstrating seismic ashlar mastery. Inca cosmology pivot where four suyus roads diverged.
Why it mattersApogee of Inca masonry; survived 1650/1950 Cusco quakes while colonial overlay collapsed, textbook anti-seismic technology; Inca empire cosmological axis mundi.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Gold garden inventory 700 gold sheets
- 02Solar alignment of curved wall to June solstice sunrise behind Pachatusan
Theories
- 01Pachacuti rebuilt earlier Killke sanctuary as imperial propaganda
- 02Spanish Dominican overlay as deliberate spiritual conquest theater
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- c.1200 initial, Pachacuti gilding 1440–1450
- Period
- Late Intermediate – Late Horizon (1200–1533, imperial 1440–1532)
- Culture
- Inca (Manco Capac to Atahualpa)
- Purpose
- Imperial state religion headquarters – Sun cult and solar-sideral calendar anchor
- Excavation
- Excavated
c.1200 initial, Pachacuti gilding 1440–1450
Initial construction
c. 1444 CE
Abandonment
On the ground
Structures & features
13.5200° S · 71.9753° W · 3350 m · 2 mapped features
Curved Sun Temple wall (Intipampa)
temple55 m curved ashlar wall 6 m high with 70° batter, seamless polygonal joints
13.5198° S · 71.9751° WFive shrine rooms and garden court
templeSun/Moon/Venus/Thunder shrines 10×8 m enclosing gold garden patio 25×20 m
13.5202° S · 71.9755° W
Gallery