- Location: Bolivia, La Paz, Tiwanako
In the amazing country of Bolivia, long before the appearance of the mighty Incas, another civilization - Tiwanaku , which flourished for 4 centuries - rules. One of the most mysterious objects of this empire, preserved to this day, are the Gate of the Sun (English: Gate of the Sun and the Spanish version of Puerta del Sol).
General information about the historical monument
The gate is a stone arch with impressive dimensions: a height of 3 meters, a width of 4 meters and a thickness of half a meter, and their weight is about 44 tons. For the erection of the structure, the aborigines used a solid monolith from the gray-green andesite.
The Gate of the Sun in Bolivia is located near Lake Titicaca at an altitude of about 3800 meters above sea level and is part of the Kalasasaya temple, being part of the architectural complex of Tiwanaku. They are located in the very place where they were discovered at the end of the XIX century. Scientists still do not have a clear idea of what exactly this monument was used for, and only put forward various hypotheses on this score.
Archaeologist-lover Arthur Poznansky was the first to give the historical monument the name of the Sun Gate, which was followed by it.
The famous historian Vaclav Scholz suggests that the Sun Gate was broken several times in the past, and then rebuilt, but their original location does not explain this. Some researchers believe that they were in the center of the temple.
Description of the Gate of the Sun Tiwanaku
At the very top of the arch the relief with the human image in the center was knocked out. This figure is depicted with a staff in her hands, instead of hair she has the heads of a puma and a condor, and the belt is crowned with human skulls. When you look at you create the impression that tears flow down the face of this creature.
Around this figure there are 48 mythical creatures whose faces are turned to the center. Around them there is an intricate carving with hieroglyphics. On the other hand, the Sun Gate contains deep niches that are most likely used for sacrifice. Initially, the entire arch was covered with sheet gold, today preserved only in separate places.
Researchers believe that the god of the Sun of the civilization of Tiwanaku is depicted on the gate, and they themselves were used for the chronology. In 1949, scientists were finally able to decipher the inscriptions, which turned out to be a fairly accurate astronomical calendar.
Interesting facts about the gates of the sun
The surprising fact is that the year here has 290 days and is equal to 10 months, two of which consist of 25 days, and the rest of 24. Many archaeologists believe that this is a calendar for extraterrestrial civilization. According to one version, this is the chronology of the planet Venus, and the other tells us that once on our planet there was another duration of the day ...
It is worth noting another important fact: on the Sun Gate in Bolivia, among the various animal figures, several images of a prehistoric animal - toxodon - were found. This mammal lived in South America more than 12 thousand years ago.
From this we can conclude that the monument was built around this time. Until now, for many remains a mystery, as the ancient people were able to erect such a massive stone structure at such a high altitude.
In 2000, the architectural complex of Tiwanaku was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, including the Sun Gate. It is a symbol of the majestic civilization that played an important role in the history of pre-Columbian America.
How to get to the monument?
The historical site is located in the vicinity of the capital of Bolivia (distance approximately 70 km). You can reach La Paz by car on highway number 1. You can also get from Lake Titicaca (15 km), and then follow the signs. The Gate of the Sun is in the furthest corner of the Kalasasaya temple.
This object is one of the most mysterious monuments in the entire Tiwanaku archaeological complex, and it is considered the most famous. Going to this historical memo, do not forget to take your camera with you, because the photos next to the Sun Gate will delight you and surprise all your acquaintances for a long time after the trip.
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