The Gate of the Sun, or Puerta del Sol in Spanish, also Inti Punku in Quechua, is a monument located at the archaeological site of Tiwanaku in Bolivia.
The object is about 3 m high and 4 m wide and is built from a single piece of stone. The weight is estimated to be 10 tons.
Discovered by Europeans in the 19th century. At the time of discovery, the monolith was lying on its side and was split into two parts. Was installed in a vertical position at the location of discovery, however this location is not believed to be the original location.
Access : Coordinates: -16.5544, -68.6741 /
Highlights :
- Tiahuanaco or Tiwanaku is an ancient archaeological city of Bolivia, capital of the Tiahuanacota State, located 21 kilometers southeast of Lake Titicaca in the Altiplano region.
- Although there have been various modern interpretations of the mysterious inscriptions found on the megalith, the engravings decorating the gate are believed to have astronomical and/or astrological significance and may serve a calendrical purpose.
- The building is associated with the beliefs and legends of the ancient inhabitants of the Inca Empire. The legend associated with this place tells about the god Viracocha, who suspended the stars, the Sun and the Moon in the sky, and later created primitive people.
Go next : The Gate of the Moon is a monument that is part of the Tiahuanaco Monumental Archaeological Complex / The Pyramid of the Sun is the largest building in Teotihuacán and one of the largest in Mesoamerica / Isla del Sol or Titicaca Island is a Bolivian island located in Lake Titicaca.
