Qorikancha (“golden enclosure”) was the most important temple in the Inca Empire, dedicated to the Sun. After the conquest, the Dominicans built the Santo Domingo convent on top of its walls. Today you can see both eras together: flawless Inca stonework beneath colonial arches and cloisters.
What to see
- The Inca chambers attributed to the Sun, the Moon, the Stars, Lightning and the Rainbow.
- The curved wall of polished stone above Avenida El Sol.
- The colonial cloister and the convent’s art gallery.
- The garden that, according to the chronicles, once held plants and animals made of gold.
History in brief
The earthquakes of 1650 and 1950 damaged the colonial church and exposed the Inca walls, which held up far better. That contrast is the best lesson in Inca engineering you’ll find in Cusco.
Admission and location
It’s a five-minute walk from the Plaza de Armas, between Avenida El Sol and Calle Santo Domingo. Admission to the temple is paid separately: it is not included in the Cusco Tourist Ticket (Boleto Turístico del Cusco). The Qorikancha Site Museum, in the lower gardens, is included.
Most City Tours start here.
