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QORIKANCHA
The famous Sun
Temple of Qosqo was and is in practice a synthesis of the Inkan
organization, architecture and religion; that had already
reached the summit of their level by 1438. It possibly
represented the "Navel of the World"; therefore, the world's
center in the pre-Hispanic Andean Cosmovision.
According to our
history, it was the first Inka, Manko Qhapaq who built the
original temple. But, it was the ninth, Pachakuteq who since
1438 reconstructed, enlarged, improved and modernized the most
important religious complex of the vast Inkan Society.
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There are
certain discrepancies about the complex's original name, and
though they are not antagonistic ones, they cause a relative
confusion. Frequently in chronicles and history treatises the
name Intiwasi is found, (inti= sun, wasi= house) it means
"Sun House"; also the name Intikancha is used and which
would mean "Sun Palace" (this is considering that almost all
Inkan palaces had the noun "Kancha"). While that its most
popular name is Qorikancha that would mean "Golden Palace".
Maria Rostworowski suggests that the ancient temple was known as
"Intikancha" and after Pachakuteq as "Qorikancha". |
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All the
chroniclers coincide manifesting that the quality of the
building was extraordinary, made with gray basaltic andesites
coming from the quarries of Waqoto and Rumiqolqa. The walls have
the "Sedimentary" or "Imperial Inkan" type that is the maximum
expression of architecture in pre-Columbian America. The stones
are between medium to large which outer surface is rectangular;
the structure is straight horizontal that in the most important
temples exhibit side views with marked convexity. The joints
between stones are polished, so perfectly made that they do not
allow insertion of even "razor blade". The cross section
structure is "tied up", that is, with "H" shaped bronze clamps
or clips in the internal joints that fastened together the
lithic pieces avoiding harmful horizontal displacements in case
of earthquakes. The wall also have a decreasing vertical
structure, that is, with bigger stones in the lower part and
every time smaller toward the top. The walls are wider in the
base than on the top; with the classical inclination inward (there
is not a general rule or measurement for that inclination)
balanced with the trapezoidal shape of doorways, niches and
openings. Those characteristics make the walls support
themselves forming a resistant, solid, anti-seismic structure
that was able to resist the two huge earthquakes after the
Spanish invasion, in 1650 and 1950 that destroyed every tough
colonial building. Today in some Inkan walls of the complex
there are a few cracks. They are not a result of bad calculation
or technique of the Quechua architects, but simply, consequence
of changes carried out in colonial times, the earthquakes and
mainly exposition to inclement weather and erosion after all of
them. According to some studies the finely carved stone walls
had a continuation of sun-dried mud-bricks on the top forming
very steep gable ends in order to enable drainage of rain waters.
The roofing was thatched made in wood and "ichu" the wild Andean
bunch grass, with eaves projecting out about 1.6 mts. (5.25 ft);
roofs which modest aspect was remedied in festivity days when
they were covered with showy multicolored rugs made with special
feathers. Gasparini believes that the often mentioned by
chroniclers "gold edging" that served as a crown surrounding the
whole outer upper side of the temple served, more over, in order
to dissemble the difference between the fine stone wall and the
upper adobe wall. The floor in the open areas of the temple must
have been completely and finely paved with flagstones while the
floors inside the enclosures were surely made with kilned clay
as a solid ceramic block like the treated floors found in
Machupicchu. |
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The temple's
main gate faced toward the Northeast; almost in the same
position of the present-day entrance to the Santo Domingo (St.
Dominic) Convent, overlooking the Intipanpa ("Sun
Plaza") that today occupies the small park in front. According
to chroniclers this was a religious complex constituted by
temples dedicated to different deities. It had a layout very
similar to that of a classical "kancha"; with enclosures around
a central patio where according to Cieza de Leon, every doorway
was veneered with gold plates.
Cusco Peru |
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The Sun Temple
stood out in the complex, covering the space occupied today by the Santo
Domingo Catholic Church. Its eastern end was completely demolished while
the western one still subsists partially forming what is known as "solar
round building", that is, the semicircular wall overlooking the
present-day Arrayan street and the Avenida el Sol. The Sun Temple had
its four walls and even the wooden ceiling completely covered with gold
plates and planks, according to Garcilaso's description it must had a
rectangular floor plan, with a very high thatched roof for facilitating
ventilation. It is worth pointing out that whom gives the most detailed
information about the subject is the famous Cusquenian Chronicler
Garcilaso de la Vega, who wrote as it is indicated by himself: "...
what I swallowed in the milk and saw and heard from my ancestors...".
On the eastern wall of this temple must have been the facade and Main
Altar that as it is known contained the representation of the Sun God in
a gold plate with the shape of a "round face and rays and flames". That
solar representation was so huge that it covered all the temple front
from wall to wall; in the treasures distribution among the conquerors,
that golden piece corresponded by casting of lots to Mancio Sierra de
Leguisamo, an inveterate gambler who lost it during one night playing
dices; event by which the famous saying " bet the sun before dawn"
was created. Chronicler Sarmiento de Gamboa suggests that Pachakuteq
ordered a layout so that the Sun would occupy the main place along with
the Wiraqocha god representation on its right side and that of
Chuquiylla (it must be "Chuki Illapa" or thunder, lightning and
thunderbolt) to its left side. Also, on both sides of the Sun image were
the "Mallki" (mummies or embalmed bodies in a fetal position) of the
dead Inka Kings, according to their antiquity, and over litters of solid
gold.
In the Andean Cosmogony
it was considered that the Moon or Mamakilla was the Sun's wife.
Therefore, the Moon Temple was located on the eastern side of the
Solar Temple; it had a rectangular floor plan with the best quality of
architecture, unfortunately it was almost completely destroyed in order
to built the Catholic Church. One of its gates is still seen as well as
its eastern wall with the classical trapezoidal niches. Among those
niches is the horizontal dark stripe that is believed to be the support
zone of the silver plates that covered completely its walls. In the
center of the temple there was a silver Moon representation and on both
sides of it the embalmed bodies of the dead Qoyas (Queens),
according to their antiquity.
More over, in this vast
complex there were 5 Water Fountains, in which flowed clean water
transported through underground channels; the water springs or sources
were kept completely secret. Those water fountains had religious duties
as water was another deity in the Andean Religion; they were also
adorned with precious metals, had golden spillways, and large gold and
silver jars. In colonial times the water was dried up as a consequence
of lack of maintenance and on-purpose destruction. Garcilaso indicates
that he saw just one of them: the last one that Dominican monks used to
irrigate their vegetable garden. Since 1975, the convent and church were
reconstructed, at the same time some archaeological digs were performed
too; they finally made possible finding one of
the 5 original fountains. It is located lower and before the
"solar round building"; water still flows through its finely carved
channels. It is possible that in the future remains of the other
fountains described by Garcilaso will be found. Until 1990 most of the
Solar Garden's space was covered by different buildings; thanks to a law
that was put into effect by the end of the 80s, the central government
and especially the Qosqo's Municipality bought the lands and houses of
the sector and some archaeological works were carried out. The aim was
to uncover our past and make known the so little that is left from the
complex's greatness; which as Spanish soldier Cieza de Leon wrote "...
finally, it was one of the rich temples existing in the world."
In the middle of the
cloister's central patio is an eight sided fountain carved in a single
andesite piece that according to some historians it has Inkan
manufacture. However, its shape and characteristics are not classical in
Inkan stonemasonry. Therefore, if it was carved in Inkan times it must
had another shape that was transformed in colonial times. Also today,
around the archways there is a collection of canvases representing the
life of Saint Dominic Guzman
painted by anonymous local Cusquenian School artists.
After the distribution
of houses and palaces during the Spanish invasion, the Qorikancha
corresponded to Juan Pizarro who donated it to the Dominican Order
represented by the first bishop of Qosqo City Fray Vicente Valverde. He
immediately executed construction of their
church and convent over the most important Inkan Temple
demolishing it almost completely for adapting it to its new use. That
original church was destroyed by an earthquake on March 31, 1650.
Subsequently, the present-day structure was raised as well as the tower
in 1780 with an elaborate baroque under direction of Fray Francisco
Muñoz. On May 21st. 1950 another violent earthquake destroyed a large
part of the convent and church as well as its tower leaving uncovered
many Inkan structures and the interior area of the "Solar Round
Building". By that time a strong "Indigenist Movement" suggested the
relocation of the church and recovery of the Sun Temple; it is a pity
that Catholic Church's political power did not allow that attempt for
clearing the ruins of the major Tawantinsuyo's sanctuary.
::Top::
Qosqo Inca’s
Sacred Capital
SAN BLAS (SAINT
BLAISE) CHURCH
San Blas is today a
downtown neighborhood in the city known as the " Artists' District",
with narrow and writhing streets, most of them steep. In Inkan times it
was one of the most important districts of Qosqo and its name was
"T'oqo-kachi" (T'oqo = hollow; kachi = salt). Like the other districts
it was inhabited by the Quechua nobility. It seems that the church was
erected over an Inkan Sanctuary devoted to cult of the "Illapa" god
(Thunder, Lightning and Thunderbolt). It was possibly opened for the
first time in 1544 by the city's second Bishop Juan Solano. Although
some other versions say that it was after 1559 as consequence of viceroy
Andres Hurtado de Mendoza's order by which "Indians" had to built
churches for their indoctrination in the districts where they lived. Its
structure was simple with a rectangular floor plan and mud brick walls,
but after the earthquakes in 1650 and 1950 it was partially reinforced
with stone walls. It has just one nave and two gates before which there
are big plazas; and a stone bell tower constructed after the 1950
earthquake instead of the original made with mud bricks.
Inside the church is one
of the greatest jewels of colonial art in the continent: the Pulpit of
Saint Blaise; which is a filigree made in cedar wood by expert hands
managing a gouge. It is not known with certainty who was the artist or
artists that made it, how long the work lasted, neither any other
details about it. However, the pulpit is over there as a mute witness of
a great Catholic devotion and devoted work. There are enough proofs to
assert that it was made carved with funds given by art protector Bishop
Manuel Mollinedo y Angulo; therefore, it was by the end of the XVII
century. There are serious discrepancies about the identity of the
performing artist.
Most authors suggest
that it was made by the most famous Quechua woodcarver: Juan Tomas Tuyro
Tupaq, that was contemporary and protected of Mollinedo y Angulo, who
entrusted him the manufacture of several works. It also could have been
work of some other artists contemporary with Mollinedo such as Martin de
Torres, Diego Martinez de Oviedo who made the monumental High Altar of
the Compañia de Jesus Church, or the Franciscan Luis Montes that made
the San Francisco Church's choir. Oral tradition has its version
gathered by Angel Carreño who in his "Cusquenian Traditions" manuscript
had stated in writing the name Esteban Orcasitas as the pulpit's author;
but, for the 1st. edition of his book the name was changed by that of
Juan Tomas Tuyrutupa. Tuyrutupa was Quechua and Cusquenian, but
according to that traditional version he was a leper woodcarver from
Huamanga (Ayacucho). The story tells that once he had in his dreams a
revelation of the "Holy Virgin of the Good Happening" who told him that
if he wanted to get healed from his leprosy he had to look for her in
the small plaza of Arrayanpata in Qosqo City. After a long journey and
many mishaps, one day he found her painted on a wall after that the
roofing of the "Lirpuy-Phaqcha" chapel fell in. Falling on his knees and
weeping he invoked her, as the Virgin's rosary became rose petals with
which he rubbed hard his whole body remaining thus completely healed.
The piece of wall containing the painting was cut and moved to the Saint
Blaise Church, then people agreed upon to build an altarpiece and a
pulpit for the Virgin. The grateful Quechua woodcarver committed himself
to make the pulpit without charging any money for the work estimated in
1400 pesos. The work took him 4 years of hard labor with wood from an
enormous cedar tree that was cut in the Kusipata square (present-day
Regocijo). But, when finishing his work the woodcarver failed his oath
as he asked the church's curate for 70 pesos in order to lionize a
Cusquenian half-breed woman. After fastening the Saint Paul statue over
the pulpit's sounding board, he stumbled and fell off dying soon after.
His corpse was buried under the pulpit but some time later it was taken
out and his skull placed before the feet of the Saint Paul sculpture,
where it is seen today.
As any other normal
pulpit, that of Saint Blaise has a balcony (basin), a thorax (main
body), a sounding board (cupola), and a gallery (entrance). The Basin is
spherical and supported by a bronze structure |
