Ingapirca Ruins – 3200m asl
Ingapirca, which means “Inca stone wall,” is Ecuador’s best set of pre-Columbian ruins.
History - The Cañari lived here long before the Incas arrived, erecting a Temple of the Moon, the foundations of which are still visible today. The Incas, arrived at the end of the 15th century and defeated the Cañari after a long, drawn-out battle. Interestingly, following their victory, the Inca had enough respect for the Cañari to build a community together, and constructed their own Temple of the Sun to complement the original temple. As well as employing their astonishing stonework, the Inca also built a complex underground irrigation network. Ingapirca was almost certainly used for ritual sacrifices because female skeletons have been unearthed on a site that was probably a convent for maidens. Ingapirca’s position overlooking the surrounding valley was of key strategic importance, but the city’s growth was short-lived because the Spanish arrived before it was even completed. Ingapirca was ransacked and much of the stonework taken by the Spanish to build churches in Cuenca and beyond. The site lay abandoned until the Ecuadorian government began a restoration process in the mid-20th century, and the site was opened to the public in 1966. It is now run by a group of local Cañari indígenas.
The Site - Much of the site is little more than stone foundations, and it takes imagination and a guided tour to bring it to life. The famous rounded Temple of the Sun is well-preserved, however, and forms an impressive centerpiece to the complex. Surrounding it are five hectares of low stone walls and grassy slopes. The small Pilaloma complex on the south side marks the original Cañari settlement, next to a pointy-roofed replica of an Inca house and round depressions called colcas that were used to store food. The highlight of the complex is the Temple of the Sun, also known as El Castillo (The Castle). The mind-boggling stonework that is the hallmark of Inca construction can be appreciated in this two-story structure, hand-carved so precisely that mortar was unnecessary. Steps lead up to a trapezoidal doorway (four-sided, with two parallel sides) and a rectangular platform. It’s entertaining to stand in the sentry posts of the temple and hear your whispers reverberate around the walls. To the right of the temple there are ruins of the more sinister side of Inca culture: A V-shaped rock was supposedly used for human and animal sacrifices. Next to it is a larger stone with 28 holes that was thought to be used as a lunar calendar; the holes caught rainwater that told the date by reflecting the moon’s light differently throughout the month. Source: http://moon.com
Ingapirca, which means “Inca stone wall,” is Ecuador’s best set of pre-Columbian ruins.
History - The Cañari lived here long before the Incas arrived, erecting a Temple of the Moon, the foundations of which are still visible today. The Incas, arrived at the end of the 15th century and defeated the Cañari after a long, drawn-out battle. Interestingly, following their victory, the Inca had enough respect for the Cañari to build a community together, and constructed their own Temple of the Sun to complement the original temple. As well as employing their astonishing stonework, the Inca also built a complex underground irrigation network. Ingapirca was almost certainly used for ritual sacrifices because female skeletons have been unearthed on a site that was probably a convent for maidens. Ingapirca’s position overlooking the surrounding valley was of key strategic importance, but the city’s growth was short-lived because the Spanish arrived before it was even completed. Ingapirca was ransacked and much of the stonework taken by the Spanish to build churches in Cuenca and beyond. The site lay abandoned until the Ecuadorian government began a restoration process in the mid-20th century, and the site was opened to the public in 1966. It is now run by a group of local Cañari indígenas.
The Site - Much of the site is little more than stone foundations, and it takes imagination and a guided tour to bring it to life. The famous rounded Temple of the Sun is well-preserved, however, and forms an impressive centerpiece to the complex. Surrounding it are five hectares of low stone walls and grassy slopes. The small Pilaloma complex on the south side marks the original Cañari settlement, next to a pointy-roofed replica of an Inca house and round depressions called colcas that were used to store food. The highlight of the complex is the Temple of the Sun, also known as El Castillo (The Castle). The mind-boggling stonework that is the hallmark of Inca construction can be appreciated in this two-story structure, hand-carved so precisely that mortar was unnecessary. Steps lead up to a trapezoidal doorway (four-sided, with two parallel sides) and a rectangular platform. It’s entertaining to stand in the sentry posts of the temple and hear your whispers reverberate around the walls. To the right of the temple there are ruins of the more sinister side of Inca culture: A V-shaped rock was supposedly used for human and animal sacrifices. Next to it is a larger stone with 28 holes that was thought to be used as a lunar calendar; the holes caught rainwater that told the date by reflecting the moon’s light differently throughout the month. Source: http://moon.com