After the death of Pachacutec at the age of eighty, his son Tupac Yupanqui, the tenth Inca, conquered Chile as far as the Maule River and spent three years in a tour to the various parts of his empire. Some uncertainty exists about an Inca Yupanqui, but a younger son of Tupac called Huayna Ccapac, near the close of his father’s reign, carried still farther the conquests even to Quito, which he won from its king. His reign was one of wisdom until its close. The rightful heir Huascar, son of the Coya or Queen, had a rival in his father’s affections, a younger son, Atahuallpa, of another, Pacha. Having himself retired to Quito before his death, Huayna Ccapac left that province to his son Atahuallpa, and the throne of Cuzco to Huascar. Thus happened the division, so disastrous to the Inca dynasty, possibly altering in some measure the whole of Peruvian history.
The location of Cuzco is said to be more beautiful than that of Quito or Bogotá, both of world-wide fame. Rome, Athens, and Sparta, in the opinion of many, present less charming scenes than that which is outspread before the observer on Sacsahuaman. Yet how altered from the days of its glory! Then the hills around, fertilized with guano and small fish and irrigated throughout their entire extent, were terraced and cultivated to their summits. Then the city and its suburbs are said to have contained 400,000 souls. The gates of the walled enclosure were of colored marble. Within were great palaces, their walls painted in bright colors.
The Temple of the Sun was covered with a roof of gold. In the gardens around were artificial flowers of gold and silver, figures of animals large and small, wild and domestic, of herbs, plants, and trees; a field of maize, fruit trees, images of men, women, and children. The doors were covered with gold plate. A gold cornice more than a yard deep, around the building, did not remain long in place after the occupation by the Spaniards. The golden roof had been removed previous to their arrival. This sumptuous temple called Coricancha, Place of Gold, begun by the first Inca, Manco Ccapac, was not concluded for many generations until the time of Inca Yupanqui, each Inca in the meantime contributing a share towards the completion of the great work. The form of the temple was elliptical, and opposite the entrance where the rays of the rising sun would fall upon it was a gold effigy representing the Sun. Golden rays projected from his head so that the entire creation occupied one side of the temple. When the sun’s rays fell upon the figure the effect was indeed dazzling, lighting up the place with such radiance that the Indian Nobles, who alone were permitted to enter, prostrated themselves, striking their foreheads on the pavement. The only women allowed within the temple were the wife and daughters of the ruling Inca. On each side of the deity were arranged the dead mummified bodies of the Incas, clad in royal robes, seated upon golden thrones, with eyes downcast and hands folded across their breasts. One only, Huayna Ccapac, faced the god, one story says because he was the best loved, another, because he dared to gaze at the sun and show that this luminary was not the creative lord.
Beyond this, the chief holy place of the temple, was a rectangular cloister with five square chapels around. One dedicated to the Moon contained a silver image of a woman’s face. In this chapel were arranged the bodies of the Queens called Coyas, as were the Incas in the chamber of the Sun. The next hall, its ceiling covered with silver stars, was dedicated to the Stars; the third, adorned with gold, was to Thunder and Lightning. Next came the hall of the Rainbow with colored delineations on gold plate, and finally a hall covered with gold where the priests gave audience. Many jewels, emeralds and turquoise, were set in the mouldings of gold. The bodies of the Incas were removed before the coming of the invaders, but in 1559 five were discovered and subsequently carried to Lima, where they were buried in the patio of the San Andres hospital. Four streets which led to the temple of the Sun are now called Carcel, Loreto, Santa Catalina, and San Augustín.
Near by, where now is the convent of Santa Catalina, was the House of the Virgins, who, like the Vestals at Rome, fed the sacred fire. Of these there were 1500 or more, some from Cuzco of royal lineage, others from the provinces, selected for their beauty from those of high birth. They spun and wove the clothing of the Inca and his Queen and had various other duties. Their dishes and utensils were of gold. They entered the convent before they were eight years of age and here, vowed to chastity, they spent their lives. This building was 200 by 800 feet.
Each Inca built for himself a great palace, and above were the wonderful fortifications of Sacsahuaman. West of the town is a place called Huaca-puncu, Holy Gate, which is approached by a steep street. At a certain spot every Indian paused to look back or forward, this being the first or last point from which could be seen the Temple of the Sun. And still today, as four centuries ago, the Indians continue this ancient custom.
CATHEDRAL PLAZA, MATRÍZ
ANCIENT WALL