Qorikancha, the Convent of Santa Domingo

From the weaving centre, we walked a short distance up the road to visit Qorikancha. This place was once the richest temple in the Inca empire, built in the mid-15th century during the reign of Tupac Yupanqui. When the Spanish arrived, they tore it down and used the foundations to form the base of the colonial church and convent of Santo Domingo. All that remains now of the Inca structure is the masterful stonework. The temple was built out of basalt, and the walls were inclined at a 14-degree angle to help stop them from collapsing during an earthquake. All the Incan homes, palaces, and temples had this anti-seismic feature.

Post-conquest, Francisco Pizarro gave Qorikancha to his brother Juan, who bequeathed it to the Dominicans. It remains in their possession today.Read more