 People waiting for the sunrise at Inti Punku | |
| Location | Peru, Cusco Region |
|---|---|
| Region | Andes |
| History | |
| Cultures | Inca |
Inti Punku or Intipunku[1][2] (Quechua inti sun, punku door,[3] "sun gate", Hispanicized spellings Intipunco, Intipuncu, Inti Puncu) is an archaeological site in the Cusco Region of Peru that was once a fortress of the sacred city, Machu Picchu.[4] It is now also the name of the final section of the Incan Trail between the Sun Gate complex and the city of Machu Picchu. It was believed that the steps were a control gate for those who enter and exited the Sanctuary.[5]
It is one of the most important archeological constructions around the Machu Picchu site.[6] Inti Punku was once the main entrance to Machu Picchu, in particular it was the primary approach from the then capitol city of Cusco to the southeast.[7] The gate likely would have been protected by Incan military.[citation needed] Inti Punku is dedicated to the cult of the Inti, the Sun god.[8] Because of its location on a ridge southeast of Machu Picchu, the rising sun would pass through the Sun Gate each year on the summer solstice. It is located 2745 meters above the sea level. The altitude of the climb to Inti Punku from Machu Picchu is 290 meters.[9] It is a wide archaeological site with windows and gates that are held up by terraces.[10] This is the first place that tourists can see the whole sanctuary. Tourists are able to see the sun rise over the whole mountains by Machu Picchu. [11]
