Qorikancha

I couldn't resist visiting the Qorikancha again this trip and it was a good thing, because I discovered some new aspects. By the way, it was the major sun temple of the Inka empire until the Spanish came and the Dominicans turned it into a church.


Some stones were taken from the site to people's homes in Cusco and carved into interesting new shapes... many have now been returned to the site.

The Inka walls still surrounding the church. No mortar!

My prized bird's-eye view of one of the rooms on the side of the church with characteristic Inka niches (and someone's model of the fortress of Sacsayhuaman featured on this day in the middle of the room).

Another top view of the Inka walls -- perhaps these notches have something to do with how the golden band was attached to the walls.


When the church was superimposed on the Inka temple, some aspects were permanently altered, as here, where an arch has been installed over the Inka niches.