El templo del sol y el solsticio del invierno
Click on an image below to see it in its original size.
The Sun Temple was a ceremonial temple to honor the Inca god of Sun. In the center of the temple you can see a sacrificial stone which was used in worship. There are two windows in the temple. On the two solstices of the year, at sunrise, the sun shines directly into the Sun Temple through these two windows and forms a rectangle on the sacrificial stone. The winter solstice was on June 21st and we were fortunate to be at Machu Picchu that day to see this rare occurrence.
Even though sunrise was around 6:30am, it took the sun another hour to get over the mountains and start to shine on Machu Picchu.
Here comes the sun over the mountains.
The sun entering the Sun Temple at sunrise of the winter solstice.
The Sun Temple at Machu Picchu.
A photo of the Royal Tomb, located below the Sun Temple. The small triangle of light that you see only occurs on the winter solstice.
Even today, people come to Machu Picchu on the solstices to worship the sun.
