Monday, October 3, 2011

TEMPLO DEL SOL - TEMPLE OF THE SUN

Looking down on the entrance.


On the outside there is a courtyard with lots of stone work and several statues. I have always wanted to sit on the throne.





On the roof of the Templo del Sol.


During the equinox in spring and winter the sun shines directly overhead and onto this center area of the main room illuminating it.


Some views of the Templo del Sol.



Close to our anniversary we were making a trip to Mitad del Mundo to visit an orphanage near there. We decided to take this opportunity to spend the day together and visit Templo del Sol, a site that we had seen signs on the road indicating the turn off, but did not know for sure what it was. We also wanted to visit the French Equator site as Dad had not been there. We took the bus as far as it would take us then caught a taxi. The Temple is interesting. It is built on the site of an ancient temple that existed before the Incas conquered the area. Then the Incas built a temple over the original and of course the Spanish destroyed it. This one was built to replicate the original; it is on a hill overlooking the valley and is on the equator. The natives in the area use the temple to hold special ceremonies during the equinoxes in spring and summer. The sun is directly overhead on these days and shines through a skylight into the center of the main room. The gentleman who built the site is a famous artist here in Ecuador and also does rock sculpture. It was interesting to visit and we got some great photos. We then went to the French Equator and spent some time, had lunch and visited some of the shops. Then on to the orphanage for a visit and to start a project to help the children.