Royal Tomb and the Temple of the Sun

Here you will find a beautiful chamber where the mummy of Inca Pachacútec may have been stored, although no remains were ever found. The stonework and overall design of the building make it one of the Inca’s most famed and elaborate constructions.

The rocks are elegantly fitted into the contours of the natural cave, a perfect example of the Inca using carved stone to enhance the beauty of natural stone.

The tomb contains three long niches and one smaller one, which has its own altar. At the entrance of the cave, there is bedrock with three long steps believed to have been used to give offerings to the dead. Inside the tomb, you will see a chalk grid, which has been drawn by the INC to determine any seismic movement in Machu Picchu [1].

Straight ahead is a wooden stairway next to an Inca stairway; both lead to the Temple of the Sun. Please note: It is forbidden to use the Inca stairway.

The Temple of the Sun, also called El Torreón or The Tower in Spanish, is above the Royal Tomb and is unmistakable thanks to its perfect circular walls, which lean inwards for stability and recall the Coricancha in Cusco [2]. The temple has two windows. One faces the sunrise at Inti Punku [3], the Sun Gate, on the December solstice and the other is orientated to the June solstice. These windows created rays of light inside the temple during these sacred days.

The temple was recently excavated to strengthen the walls. During this process, three niches were discovered, of which the middle niche has the distinctive double jamb. They have covered this new discovery with glass.

On the left side of the temple is a small two-story building that is believed to have been the house of either a princess or a high priest. Near the sun temple is an exquisite fountain that unifies the sacred elements of Inca cosmology (sun, rocks, water, and wind).