We stare with amazement at the stonemanship of the Inca´s of what is left of the most important temple, Qorikancha, meaning golden temple, or temple of the Sun. It is built by the first Inca(king) who founded Cusco and made it in to the biggest and most important temple of their empire by the ninth Inca who founded Cusco, named Pachucutec in 1438. The walls were said to be coverd in golden plates and the temple consisted of four rooms, for the sun and the moon, who were married and were they kept the mummy´s of the Inca´s and their wives. And two rooms for for the lightling and the stars. The open room was for sacrafices of black lama´s and children, the last only on very special occasions we are ensured, like after an earthquake, or the inaguration of a new Inca. Who by the way married their sisters to keep the blood line pure. Something tells me that they wouldn´t have survied much longer doing so than their 100 year rule anyway.
The stonemanship was so good that you see no openings between the separate stones, they´re polished until fitted perfectly, using an interlocking system, where the building is made in a inclined angle of 98 degrees to add extra strenght to it. Every Inca citizen had to pay tax through working for 3 months on a temple or got to war.
Unfortunately there is not much left of the temple. When the Spanish invaded the Inca army was strongly diminished by the outbrake of smallpoks. When they captured the Inca, there was a randsome set of one room filled with gold and two rooms filled with siver, The Inca people were very loyal and brought all their gold in the empire to get their king back. Having recived the full randsome, the Spanish conquers killed the Inca anyway. Nice guys.
The temple was given to the Dominican Monks, who turned the complex into a monastary which is still in use today, And built a church ontop of the temple of the Sun.
Cusco is filled with historical buildings and said to be shaped like a Puma. It´s great to walk around and enjoy the nice food and shops. Even though it is seriously touristville here.
