Temple of Coricanche

The temple of Koricancha literally translates as “golden temple” and in the time of the Incas had another name – Intikancha (literally “temple of the sun”). It was the main temple of the Inca Empire.

It's located in Cusco. At the moment, only ruins remain from the temple due to the invasion of the conquistadors. After the earthquake, the Santo Domingo Cathedral was erected on the basis of the temple.

In the original structure, according to legend, all the walls and interior decoration of the temple were gold and silver, but after the attack of the conquistadors, most of the gold was removed by the Indians themselves and taken to the city of Vilcobamba. Inside was a golden altar and the Golden Disc of the Sun God Inti. But the most curious is not the magnificent decoration of the temple, but the method of its construction. The polygonal blocks from which the temple was built are extremely durable. The Cathedral of Santo Domingo has been destroyed twice since its construction, while the foundation of the temple of Coricanche remained intact.

At the moment, the ruins of the temple can be seen in all its glory, since after the earthquake, the residents of the city did not allow several walls to be demolished, and they still please the eye of the traveler.