Machu Picchu Temple of The Sun

James Bustamante( Travel Writer )

James Bustamante is Native to New York but born to Peruvian parents. He has been traveling throughout Latin America since early 2003 and finally made his home in Peru. James has made his way by eating and traveling through almost every country in Central and South America.

www.journeymachupicchu.com

Last Updated on March 19, 2024 by James Bustamante

The Machu Picchu Temple of the Sun is one of the most sacred temples in the entire Inca citadel. The temple was constructed above the cave of the royal tomb on a naturally occurring formation made from granite rock.

One key distinction about the Temple of the Sun is that it is the only building in all of Machu Picchu with a rounded wall; it also has a window in the shape of a trapezoid.

You can find this interesting Machu Picchu location in the “Hanan” area of the complex. This is considered the religious, thus most important section of Machu Picchu.

The Temple of the Sun is said to have only permitted the attendance of high ranking Incas and the priests that would proceed with religious ceremonies.

This adds to the importance of this particular temple in Machu Picchu. This important location is said to have had several purposes.

Among them researchers argue that it could have been used as a solar observatory, a center for sacrifices and offerings to the Inca gods, lastly, it was believed that it could have been used as a mausoleum. 

Temple of The Sun & Solar Observatory

The Inca were sun worshippers; one of the most important gods was “Inti,” the Sun God.

It makes perfect sense that this ancient civilization would have religious ceremonies and create locations where the Sun would be a center point of the process.

This is true of how the Inca used the Machu Picchu Temple of the Sun as a solar observatory. During the Winter Solstice, which takes place on June 21st, the odd-shaped trapezoidal window at the temple of the sun is actually placed along the curved stone wall to capture sunlight. 

The Machu Picchu temple of the sun is not the only one of its kind in the vicinity. There is another temple of the sun called “Koricancha” located in the city of Cusco.

Most travelers will likely have already visited “Koricancha” during a tour of the city before traveling for a Machu Picchu hike.

The Cusco temple of the sun is where the Inca worshipped the powerful Sun God known as “Inti”. Similar to “Koricancha,” The Machu Picchu temple’s two windows are said to represent both the summer and winter solstice.

This would equate to both the shortest and longest days of the year. To the Incas, knowing when the seasons began and ended was a matter of life and death since they heavily depended on agriculture.

This allowed the Inca civilization to carefully make decisions as to which crops to grow, when to grow them, and lastly, when to harvest. 

Travelers notes: Inti is just one among the pantheon of Inca gods. The Inca religion would allow the worship of multiple gods, including male and female gods and goddesses.

Temple of The Sun Sacrifices

The temple of the sun saw its fair share of sacrifices throughout its use by the Incan civilization. The revered Inca priests would be in charge of these sacrificial ceremonies that mainly focused on animals.

The Inca believed that the animal’s entrails were an accurate way of predicting the future. As you can imagine, in times of need, these Inca priests probably performed more animal sacrifices. 

In honor of the sun, this temple was strategically placed in what the Inca assumed was the highest point. This would allow their prayers, ceremonies, and, in this case, sacrifices to reach the sky and the Sun’s praises much more easily. 

Within the Temple of the Sun in Machu Picchu, you will find a large stone structure that seems like its main objective was to be used by the Inca priests as an altar for rituals and, of course, sacrifices.

Archaeologists also state that sometimes there were offerings such as fruits, vegetables, and drinks such as “chicha de Jora”, an Andean drink made from fermented corn.

Mausoleum for The Inca Pachacutec

For many years it was believed that the cave located directly below the sun temple contained the remains of the famous Inca Pachacutec. This has since been disputed, and the cave has been linked to ceremonies that honor the “Pacha-Mama,” or Mother Earth. 

Travelers notes: The Inca Pachacutec is said to have ordered the construction of Machu Picchu, making him the supreme ruler of the Inca civilization while he was alive. 

Visiting The Temple of The Sun

Travelers cannot currently enter the temple due to how delicate and important it is to the local people and how important it is to world history.

Machu Picchu travelers can see into the temple from a few spots located in Machu Picchu. There is a lookout located on the upper floors of Machu Picchu, which faces the temple directly. The other option is to view it from the temple of the Condor, which faces the area known as the tomb.

Conclusion

The Machu Picchu temple of the Sun along with areas such as the Temple of the Condor, Machu Picchu Mirrors, or Temple of The Three Windows was of particular importance to the Inca.

It represented a sacred, religious place where the Inca would have ceremonies and sacrifices to predict the best time to harvest.

You can find this temple and several other locations as part of your Machu Picchu guided tour or as a whole Peru travel package.

FAQ’s About The Temple of The Sun in Machu Picchu