Day 6: Peru, Cusco Guided Temple of the Sun Tour

Across the street from the Temple of the Sun Jose points out a white and blue building. The lower level is clearly made from an Incan foundation, or at least clearly once someone points it out to you. The Incans did not use mortar between the stones. They just perfectly fit together. The upper part was destroyed in an earthquake, but the foundation stuck together.

As we waited to enter the historic site I noticed a woman selling the book Jan loaned me before the trip. She was talked into buying it and was kind enough to share it with me.

Santo Domingo Church was built over the
former Temple of the Sun. The Spaniards recognized this building was the most holy Incan site in Cusco and wanted it for themselves. The top was gilded, which they immediately stripped away. For the Incans the gold was just a decoration and not a sign of wealth.

The word temple is one used by Westerners to explain the site. It is not one the Incans would have used. Yes, it was an important religious site, but the term temple doesn't quite describe it accurately. 

Inside the rooms dedicated to the sun, moon, stars, and earth are niches for people to leave their offerings, such as coca leaves. The Spaniards thought this was where they kept mummies of their kings and queens, but no evidence of that has been found.

When the Incans took over the site, they covered the stone walls with plaster. That was destroyed during the earthquakes, but the walls still stood. 

My notes include a bunch of sketches that are hard to translate into words. Since I was allowed to take pictures in here, I will share those instead.

Written in English, it must be important

Courtyard

Jose showing us some of the architectural finds

The openings all perfectly line up together

Don, who already was not feeling well, decided to return to the hotel. Ruth, Bill, and I headed to the Pisco Sour tour, pisco sour is their local drink. I invited Greg to join us as he was back from the Rainbow Mountain, and when he is not travelling he is a bartender.