Qoricancha Information Prices and Photo Gallery

Cost of entry:

• Adults S/20 (Nuevo Sol) and Students S/15 (Nuevo Sol).
• Hours: Monday to Saturday from 9 am to 6 pm; Sunday from 14:00 to 17:00.

The Qorikancha (in Quechua, Quri Kancha, Golden Temple), originally Inti Kancha, Temple of the Sun, is located in Cusco, a few meters from the Plaza de Armas.

This marvelous temple is considered one of the Inca Empire’s most sacred and imposing constructions. It was one of the most revered and respected temples in the city.

It was called The Golden Enclosure because it was dedicated to the worship of deities such as the Moon and the Sun. This last one was the maximum Inca god called INTI. It was to enter the temple fasting, barefoot, and with a load on the back as a sign of humility, as indicated by the elder priest Wilqa Umo.

What represented these deities in fine gold and silver sculptures? The conquerors sacked these. Because the walls were covered with solid gold, and many ornaments and jewels were made from this material, it took several weeks to melt all the gold and send it to Spain.

The Qorikancha contains samples that represent the chronological evolution of Cusco’s civilization. It exhibits fragments and ceramics from the Inca period, as well as examples of metallurgy, textiles, painting, sculpture, and musical instruments.

You can also see a model representing what may have been the Qorikancha in its origins. Replicas of the objects found in the excavations were made, and ceramics and lytic pieces from the pre-Inca and Inca periods were observed. Finally, it has five rooms that explain the ancestors’ history didactically.
On the Qorikancha of the Spanish conquistadors, the Convent of Santo Domingo can be visited today.

Photo gallery: