Temple of the Moon (Peru)

Last updated May 12, 2024

The Temple of the Moon is an Incan ceremonial temple on Huayna Picchu near Machu Picchu, in Peru. The site is made up of stone masonry and an open-face, shallow cave. The temple is arbitrarily named, like many of the sites in Machu Picchu.^[1]

In the center of the cave is a throne carved out of rock. Beside the throne are steps that lead deeper into the cave. It is thought that the caves were used to hold mummies.^{[ citation needed ]} The Temple of the Moon dates back 1500 years.^[2] It was rediscovered in 1936. It lies 390 m (1,280 ft) below the summit on the north side of Huayna Picchu.

Architecture

The Temple of the Moon consists of three structural components: an overhanging cave with superb stonework, a very tall double-jamb doorway beyond, and farther beyond, several structures including one that again uses a cave.^[3] The stonework in the Temple is said to contain the three planes of the Incan religion to be depicted: the Hanan Pacha (the heavens, or world of above), the Kay Pacha (the earth, or physical life), and the Ukju Pacha (the underworld, or world of below), represented respectively by the condor, the puma, and the snake. The temple also boasts niches and fake doors inserted in the stones, with an enormous 8-meter-high (26 ft) by 6-meter-wide (20 ft) entrance. The premises are rectangular with the rocks of the mountains as walls. Its three doors are 1.60 meters high (in the front) and 1.00 m high (at the sides). Inside, there are six trapezoidal niches. The "temple", strictly speaking, consists of a major platform supporting a building which is raised 5 meters above the ground, with an 8-meter-high (26 ft) entrance. Huaca de la Luna (Temple of the Moon), contains 6 levels, built on top of each other during a 200-year span.^[4]

Name

Most scientists and authors believe that the name of the Temple is arbitrary, as are many other names given to sites in Machu Picchu. Guidebook writers Ruth M Wright and Alfredo Valencia Zegarra say that they have found no indication that the lunar ritual played any part in the use of this shrine.^[3]^{[ page needed ]} Some have speculated that the temple gets its name from the way moonlight radiates inside the cave at night.^[5]

Purpose

The purpose of building the Temple is not exactly known. Scientists have long known and documented that people lived in caves. Keeping in mind that caves, like springs, were thought to be entrances for gods, they believe the Temple's purpose was to be a place of worship to the Gods.

There is a theory that it must have been a royal tomb, place of worship and look-out post.^[6] Some believe that this was a place for sacrifices, because the structure has beautiful vaulted niches and empty trapezoids of typical Inca type and in front of the cavern, there is a rock sculpted in the shape of an altar.^[7] Others think the Temple of the Moon was a ceremonial bathing complex.^[8]

Access

The trail that leads from the summit of Huayna Picchu to the Temple and the Great Cave is very exposed and can be quite slippery. The trail is closed for maintenance and it is unclear when it will reopen. A few spots have a steel handrail cable (via ferrata), but a fall in many places would have severe results. The trail that leads off from the main Huayna Picchu trail near the saddle is easier and safer, but still presents hazards. Expect at least a 45-minute walk in each direction from this lower trail, and at least an hour from the summit down the alternate trail to the ruins, plus the 45-minute walk back uphill and to the main trail.

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Temple of the Moon may refer to:

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The Inca Trail to Machu Picchu is a hiking trail in Peru that terminates at Machu Picchu. It consists of three overlapping trails: Mollepata, Classic, and One Day. Mollepata is the longest of the three routes with the highest mountain pass and intersects with the Classic route before crossing Warmiwañusqa. Located in the Andes mountain range, the trail passes through several types of Andean environments including cloud forest and alpine tundra. Settlements, tunnels, and many Incan ruins are located along the trail before ending the terminus at the Sun Gate on Machu Picchu mountain. The two longer routes require an ascent to beyond 4,200 metres (13,800 ft) above sea level, which can result in altitude sickness.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tipón</span> Archaeological park in Peru near Cusco with an Incan monumental hydraulic system

Tipón, is a sprawling early fifteenth-century Inca archaeological site that is situated between 3,250 metres (10,660 ft) and 3,960 metres (12,990 ft) above sea level, located 22 kilometres (14 mi) southeast of Cusco near the village of Tipón. It consists of several ruins enclosed by a powerful defensive wall about 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) long. The most renown part of the park is the group of precise and right angled monumental terraces irrigated by a network of water canals fed by a monumental fountain channeling water from a natural spring. The site includes ancient residential areas and a remarkable amount of petroglyphs in its upper part.

Patallacta, Llactapata or Q'ente Marka is an archaeological site in Peru located in the Cusco Region, Urubamba Province, Machupicchu District. It is situated southeast of the site Machu Picchu, at the confluence of the rivers Cusichaca and Vilcanota on a mountain named Patallacta.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Warmi Wañusqa</span> Mountain pass in Peru

Warmi Wañusqa is a mountain pass in the Cusco Region in Peru. It is located in the Urubamba Province, Machupicchu District. Warmi Wañusqa lies on the Inca Trail to Machu Pikchu, southwest of the archaeological site of Patallaqta. It is situated at a height of 4,200 metres (13,780 ft).

Qunchamarka is an archaeological site in Peru located in the Cusco Region, Urubamba Province, Machupicchu District, southwest of the mountain Runkuraqay. It lies between the archaeological sites Sayaqmarka and Phuyupatamarka on the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu.

References

↑ "The Temple of the Moon". Peru Culture. Archived from the original on 2011-03-13.
↑ Benson, Sara; Hellander, Paul (2010). Lonely Planet Peru (7th ed.). Footscray, Vic. p. 326. ISBN 978-1-74179-014-6. OCLC 1035924887.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
1 2 Wright, Ruth M. (2001). The Machu Picchu guidebook : a self-guided tour. Boulder, Colorado: Johnson Books. p. 158. ISBN 1-55566-307-9. OCLC 45639072.]
↑ Eyewitness travel guide. London: DK Publishing. 2010. p. 223. ISBN 978-0-7566-8326-9. OCLC 738433243.
↑ "Machu Picchu, Wonder of the world". Archived from the original on 2011-07-17. Retrieved 2011-07-02.
↑ "Attractions in Machu Picchu : Wayna Picchu , Inti Punku , Gate of the Sun , Mandor". Archived from the original on 2010-07-05. Retrieved 2011-07-02.
↑ "Inka Trail Info: All Inka Trail Information". www.incatrail-peru.com. Archived from the original on 2006-08-22.
↑ Eyewitness travel guide. London: DK Publishing. 2010. p. 114. ISBN 978-0-7566-8326-9. OCLC 738433243.

External links

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[1] "The Temple of the Moon". Peru Culture. Archived from the original on 2011-03-13.

[2] Benson, Sara; Hellander, Paul (2010). Lonely Planet Peru (7th ed.). Footscray, Vic. p. 326. ISBN 978-1-74179-014-6. OCLC 1035924887.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)

[guidebook-3] 1 2 Wright, Ruth M. (2001). The Machu Picchu guidebook : a self-guided tour. Boulder, Colorado: Johnson Books. p. 158. ISBN 1-55566-307-9. OCLC 45639072.]

[4] Eyewitness travel guide. London: DK Publishing. 2010. p. 223. ISBN 978-0-7566-8326-9. OCLC 738433243.

[5] "Machu Picchu, Wonder of the world". Archived from the original on 2011-07-17. Retrieved 2011-07-02.

[6] "Attractions in Machu Picchu : Wayna Picchu , Inti Punku , Gate of the Sun , Mandor". Archived from the original on 2010-07-05. Retrieved 2011-07-02.

[7] "Inka Trail Info: All Inka Trail Information". www.incatrail-peru.com. Archived from the original on 2006-08-22.

[8] Eyewitness travel guide. London: DK Publishing. 2010. p. 114. ISBN 978-0-7566-8326-9. OCLC 738433243.

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