Machu Picchu was a city that the Incas built in the eastern limits of the vast empire of Tahuantinsuyo. There, to worship their gods, they built finely carved stone temples, which survive to this day in the archaeological site. Some of the most important Inca religious temples are the Temple of the Sun, the Main Temple, the Temple of the 3 Windows, the Intihuatana and more. To visit them it is necessary to choose one of the three available circuits: circuit 1, 2 or 3. These circuits are included in one of the ten new tickets. Which one to choose?

• Machu Picchu: the citadel and religious site of the Incas
• The main Inca religious temples at Machu Picchu
• Machu Picchu: Which ticket to choose? Which circuit to choose?
• Questions and answers about the main temples in Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu’s Intihuatana Pyramid

Machu Picchu visiting hours
The archaeological site of Machu Picchu has strict visiting hours for each of its most important Inca temples and constructions. First, the Inca citadel is open to tourists every day of the year, including holidays, Christmas, New Years, etc.. Visiting hours are from 6:00 am to 5:00 pm. Visitors can enter at the times indicated on their tickets. For example, the Classic Machu Picchu ticket allows up to ten entrance times, from 6 am, 7 am, 8 am, and so on until 3 pm. The average visiting time for this ticket is 2 hours and 30 minutes. This time may be longer if the ticket includes a visit to one of the mountains of Machu Picchu. It is not allowed to enter outside the time indicated on the ticket. Only during the high tourist season (from June 1 to October 15) a 30-minute delay is allowed. Some temples have visiting hours. For example, the Temple of the Condor is open to visitors every day from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm. It is recommended to buy tickets to Machupicchu two or three months in advance (tickets with limited availability).

Machu Picchu: the citadel and religious site of the Incas

Machu Picchu was a city inhabited by about a thousand people in Inca times, during the fifteenth century. It was ordered to be built by the great emperor Pachacutec in 1450 AD. The place was chosen because of the proliferation of granitic stones, ideal for the construction of this type of Inca constructions. In addition, because of its geographical location on top of a mountain in the Amazon jungle, on the eastern limits of Machupicchu.

The Incas built Machu Picchu on top of a mountain (at the foot of the Machu Picchu mountain) because from there they had a privileged location of the entire valley. In addition, because in the highest parts they could worship their gods: the sun (Inti), the moon (Quilla), the mountains (Apus), etc.

To worship their gods, they built religious temples using granite stone, abundant in the area. These temples were the most perfect, with the best carving and the finest walls. Most of them were located in the upper part of the citadel, currently known as the religious sector of Machu Picchu.

Today, in the archaeological site of Machu Picchu there are more than 150 stone constructions, including temples, enclosures, stairways, terraces, canals, squares and more. Although there are not many temples, these are the most visited places in the tourist circuit. The Temple of the Sun, the Main Temple, the Temple of the 3 Windows, the Intihuatana, the Sacred Rock, the Temple of the Condor, among others, stand out.

Incredible constructions inside the Inca citadel – Machu Picchu
Incredible constructions inside the Inca citadel – Machu Picchu

The main Inca religious temples at Machu Picchu

These are the main religious temples in Machu Picchu:

• The Temple of the Sun – The Temple of the Sun is the finest enclosure, with the best carving and the peculiarity that it has a semicircular structure with windows that receive the sun’s rays at certain times of the year. As its name indicates, it worshipped the sun, the god Inti, the most important god in Inca times. The visitor cannot enter the interior but can see it from an upper viewpoint or from the lower part of Machu Picchu.
• The Main Temple – The Main Temple was a large structure of three walls in a ‘U’ shape where the most important ceremonies were held in Machu Picchu. It has an altar or ceremonial table where the mummies could be wrapped. It is located just in front of the Main Plaza in the heart of the religious sector of Machu Picchu. It can be visited only within circuit 2 of the archaeological site. It can be visited from the high mountains that surround it.
• The Temple of the 3 Windows – The Temple of the 3 Windows was a large monolith made with large blocks of stone carved in the shape of three windows, which offer a view of the high mountains and the majestic geography of the Inca citadel. As its name indicates, it is made up of three large windows that represent the Inca world on three levels: the world of the living (kai pacha), the world of the gods (hanan pacha) and the world of the dead (uku pacha).
• The Intihuatana – The Intihuatana is one of the most popular buildings in Machu Picchu. Its name comes from two Quechua words (the language of the Incas) that mean ‘Sundial’ or ‘Where the sun is tied’. It was an Inca calendar made up of a large stone monolith on three levels whose highest peak, when receiving the sun’s rays, shows behind its shadow the time or season of the year. Thus the Incas could predict the right time for planting or harvesting in Machu Picchu.
• The Sacred Rock – In the northern sector of Machu Picchu is this huge block of stone that represents the mountains (the apus), considered sacred by the Incas. This large block of stone stands on a rectangular base that holds it as an offering. It is said that the visitor, when approaching his hands with the stone of the Sacred Rock, is filled with the mysterious energy of Machupicchu. This is why this building is visited by tourists from all over the world.
• The Temple of the Condor – The Temple of the Condor is a three-dimensional representation of the Andean condor, a bird considered sacred by the Incas. The temple has a high structure in the form of a head and beak and another at the base, in the form of a bird’s body. Thus, by visually joining these structures, the figure of the Andean condor is formed. This bird represented the connection between the world of the living (kai pacha) and the world of the gods (hanan pacha). It is even considered that Machu Picchu, seen from the top, was shaped like a condor.
• The Temple of the Moon, the Great Cavern – The Temple of the Moon, also known as the Great Cavern, is one of the farthest temples from the core area of Machu Picchu as it is located in the foothills of the Huayna Picchu mountain. The hike up there is arduous by ascending and descending paths to reach this building carved inside a cave. The Incas considered the caves sacred because they communicated with the world of the dead (the uku pacha). The temple has a ceremonial table where mummies were embalmed.
• The Intipunku, the Temple of the Sun – The Intipunku was the Sun Gate, the main entrance and exit way to Machu Picchu in Inca times. Its name, translated from the Quechua language, means ‘door of the sun’. It connected the qhapac ñan (Inca royal roads) from Cusco to Machu Picchu. Its stone walls, windows and niches receive the sun’s rays and offer a privileged view of the entire Inca citadel. It is at an altitude of 3,900 meters above sea level.

Photo of the main temple and the Intihuatana on the edge of Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu: Which ticket to choose? Which circuit to choose?

These are the tickets to Machu Picchu and the Inca temples that include:

• Ticket Machu Picchu Classic Photo – Allows you to do circuit 1, so it does not include any Inca temple in its route (only the classic photo and the panoramic view of the archaeological site).
• Machu Picchu Classic Ticket – Allows you to do circuit 2, the most complete tour of Machu Picchu. It includes the visit to temples such as: the Temple of the Sun, the Main Temple, the Temple of the 3 Windows and the Sacred Rock.
• Ticket Machu Picchu Classic lower terrace – Allows circuit 2, the most complete circuit in Machu Picchu. It includes the visit to temples such as: the Temple of the Sun, the Main Temple, the Temple of the 3 Windows and the Sacred Rock.
• Ticket Machu Picchu Temples of the lower part – Allows you to do circuit 3 which includes temples of the Inca elite, such as: the Temple of the Sun, the Temple of the 3 Windows (view from below) and the Temple of the Condor.
• Ticket Machu Picchu with Huayna Picchu – Allows you to make the circuit 3 which includes temples of the Inca elite, such as: the Temple of the Sun, the Temple of the 3 Windows (view from below) and the Temple of the Condor. It also allows you to hike to the top of Huayna Picchu mountain.
• Machu Picchu with Mountain Ticket – Allows you to do circuit 1, so it does not include any Inca temple in its route (only the classic photo and the panoramic view of the archaeological site). It also offers the hike to the top of the Machu Picchu mountain.
• Ticket Machu Picchu with Huchuy Picchu – Allows you to do circuit 3 which includes temples of the Inca elite, such as: the Temple of the Sun, the Temple of the 3 Windows (view from below) and the Temple of the Condor. It also allows you to hike to the top of the small mountain Huchuy Picchu.
• Ticket Machu Picchu with Inca Bridge – Allows you to do circuit 1, so it does not include any Inca temple in its route (only the classic photo and the panoramic view of the archaeological site). It also allows the hike to the Inca Bridge of Machu Picchu.
• Ticket Machu Picchu with Intipunku – Allows you to do circuit 1, so it does not include any Inca temple in your tour (only the classic photo and panoramic view of the archaeological site). It also offers the hike and visit to Intipunku, a temple of Machu Picchu in the upper part.
• Ticket Machu Picchu with Temple of the Moon – Allows you to do the circuit 3 which includes temples of the Inca elite, such as: the Temple of the Sun, the Temple of the 3 Windows (view from below) and the Temple of the Condor. It also allows you to hike to the Temple of the Moon, also known as the Great Cavern.

Tourist meditating on the viewpoint of the lower terrace – Machu Picchu

Questions and answers about the main temples in Machu Picchu

• 1) With which Machu Picchu ticket to visit the Temple of the Sun?

  The Temple of the Sun is included in six tickets: a) ticket Machu Picchu Classic, b) ticket Machu Picchu Classic lower terrace, c) ticket Machu Picchu lower temples, d) ticket Machu Picchu with Huayna Picchu, e) ticket Machu Picchu with Huchuy Picchu and f) ticket Machu Picchu with Temple of the Moon.

• 2) With which entrance to Machu Picchu to visit the Intihuatana?

  The Intihuatana is not suitable for tourist visit with any kind of ticket (as a protection measure).

• 3) With which Machu Picchu ticket to visit the Main Temple?

  The Main Temple is included in two tickets: a) Classic Machu Picchu ticket, b) Machu Picchu Classic lower terrace ticket.

• 4) With which Machu Picchu ticket to visit the Temple of the 3 Windows?

  The Temple of the 3 Windows is included in two tickets: a) Classic Machu Picchu ticket, b) Machu Picchu Classic lower terrace ticket.

• 5) With which Machu Picchu ticket to visit the Temple of the Moon?

  The Temple of the Moon or Great Cavern is included in a ticket: a) Machu Picchu ticket with Temple of the Moon.

• 6) With which Machu Picchu ticket to visit the Temple of the Condor?

  The Temple of the Condor is included in three types of tickets: a) Machu Picchu ticket with Huayna Picchu, b) Machu Picchu ticket with Huchuy Picchu and c) Machu Picchu ticket with Temple of the Moon.

• 7) With which Machu Picchu ticket to visit the Intipunku?

  The Intipunku is included in one type of ticket: a) Machu Picchu ticket with Intipunku.

• 8) With which Machu Picchu ticket to visit the Sacred Rock?

  The Sacred Rock is included in six types of tickets: a) Classic Machu Picchu ticket, b) Machu Picchu Classic Lower Terrace ticket, c) Machu Picchu Lower Temples ticket, d) Machu Picchu with Huayna Picchu ticket, e) Machu Picchu with Huchuy Picchu ticket and f) Machu Picchu with Temple of the Moon ticket.

• 9) Which circuit in Machu Picchu includes the most Inca temples?

  Circuit 2 is the circuit that includes the most Inca temples in its route.

• 10) Which circuit does not include any Inca temple in Machu Picchu?

  Circuit 1 does not include any Inca temples in its route.

Advice from people who have been there

Machu Picchu

By: Alexa B.

“Amazing Machu Picchu“

“I never get tired of seeing my photos in Machu Picchu. I would go back a thousand times if I could. Good food, mountains and very friendly people.“

By Ticket Machu Picchu – Last updated, September 30, 2024