See & do · Landmarks & architecture
Coricancha (Temple of the Sun)
Opening hours
- Monday: 8:30 AM – 5:30 PM
- Tuesday: 8:30 AM – 5:30 PM
- Wednesday: 8:30 AM – 5:30 PM
- Thursday: 8:30 AM – 5:30 PM
- Friday: 8:30 AM – 5:30 PM
- Saturday: 8:30 AM – 5:30 PM
- Sunday: 2:00 – 5:00 PM
Images provided by Google Places
Inca ruins of a prominent 15th-century temple that once had walls & floors covered in pure gold.via Google
The most sacred temple in the Inca Empire, once lined with sheets of solid gold. The Spanish built the Santo Domingo Convent directly on top of its flawless curved stone walls.
- Good to know
- Requires a separate entry ticket (low € band). Essential for understanding Inca stonework.
Reviews from Google
This is an absolutely beautiful place. Here you will find a Spanish church built with pre-Incan stonework/rooms inside. The church itself is impressive but it was the stonework inside that I wanted to see. The stonework in the interior is very advanced, it must have been built at the same time as the walls nearby such as the 12 sided stone wall. Although there is a block of stone in this building that is more impressive than the 12 sided stone. It doesn't have a fancy name like the 12 sided stone, but it is far more impressive, it is one stone that starts on the outer side and has perfect cuts to aline it with stones on the inside. This is something you have to see with your own eyes to really appreciate.
What a beautiful museum/heritage site. So much to learn! Please note: entry is not included in the boleto turístico (only the Museo del Sitio Q, which is not worth it). But for this site, it's 20 soles well spent. Allow for at least 90 minutes if you don't want to rush.
This church has a special history. Ticket prices are 20 sol. I thought the price was good because there are a lot of places to see. You can't take photos or videos in the church. Lots of people took pictures, but I didn't. The courtyard was really lovely. To go to the top of the church, you need an extra five sols. I recommend trying it.
I had the best experience visiting this place. They only take cash so if you are international make sure to carry cash! They do give students discount too. But this place has so much history and everything explains well in details, there are so many tour guide outside this building and they charge some money but you can always negotiate with them but they will explain everything in detail. The whole tour takes about 45-50 mins!
Qorikancha is one of the most historically significant sites in all of Peru. It was once the dazzling Inca Temple of the Sun, famously covered in gold. Today, you witness an incredible architectural fusion: the Spanish Santo Domingo Convent built directly on the top of the original, perfectly fitted Inca stone walls. The most amazing part is seeing how the Inca walls survived every major earthquake, while the Spanish structures did not. It is a powerful testament to Inca engineering genius and a must-see for understanding the depth of Cusco's history. Truly unforgettable.