🏛️ Tiwanaku
Bolivia
About This Sacred Site
Tiwanaku (Tiahuanaco) is an ancient archaeological site near the southern shore of Lake Titicaca in western Bolivia, at an altitude of nearly 4,000 meters. It was the capital of a powerful pre-Inca empire (c. 300–1000 CE) that extended across much of the Andean region. The site's monumental stonework — including the Akapana pyramid, the semi-subterranean temple with its mysterious stone heads, and the iconic Gateway of the Sun — reflects a sophisticated cosmology. The Aymara people still consider it a sacred place.
Key Facts
- •Capital of a pre-Inca empire that flourished from roughly 300 to 1000 CE
- •Located at nearly 4,000 meters above sea level near Lake Titicaca
- •The Gateway of the Sun is carved from a single block of andesite and features the 'Staff God'
- •Inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000
- •The Aymara people consider Tiwanaku the place where the world was created
Location
Coordinates: -16.5545, -68.6713
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