The Inti Raymi is one of the most important celebrations in the cultural calendar of Peru, especially in the city of Cusco, considered the ancient capital of the Inca Empire. This event represents the veneration of the sun god, Inti, and marks the winter solstice in the southern hemisphere, celebrating the beginning of a new agricultural cycle.
The Inti Raymi festival in Cusco is an impressive spectacle that attracts thousands of people from all over the world. It is held every June 24 and takes place in several emblematic settings, including the Qorikancha Temple, the Plaza de Armas and the Sacsayhuaman fortress.
During Inti Raymi, various ceremonies are held to recreate the original Inca rituals. Actors and dancers dressed in traditional costumes represent important figures of the Inca culture, such as the Inca, the Coya and the high priest. Offerings are made to the Pachamama (Mother Earth) and the sun god, while dances and ancestral music are performed.
This celebration is not only a significant cultural event for the people of Cusco, but also an internationally renowned tourist attraction. Visitors have the opportunity to immerse themselves in the rich history and traditions of the ancient Inca empire, in addition to enjoying the spectacular dances, music and colorful costumes that characterize Inti Raymi in Cusco
DURATION: 8:00AM to 4:30PM
This tour starts at 8:00 am, picking you up from the hotel, then we go to the first scene for the ceremony. The ceremony of INTI RAYMI has three different scenes in three different places. It starts at the Qoricancha Palace situated on El Sol Avenue. Then we move on to the main square, the Plaza del Armas, where the second ceremony will be held. Finally, it ends in the most special scene at Sacsayhuaman ( 3 km from Cusco) where we will go by bus.
The central staging of INTI RAYMI is held in the Sacred main square of Saqsaywaman. They have place tribunes that can acommodate about 3,906 people. All the seats are very confortable for the spectators.The VIP Zone is formed for these 3 tribunes (Orange, Blue and Green) which gives a better view of the ceremony.
EMUFEC offers other necesary services to attend to the INTI RAYMI, VIP confortable seats for the spectator, Higienic Mobil Bathrooms, Fisrt Aid Post and police security which allow you to enjoy this ancestral ceremony.
Ceremony at the Qoricancha temple
8:00 a.m.
The Inti Raymi commences at 8:00 a.m. within the Qoricancha temple, also known as the Temple of the Sun, situated in Cusco. At this revered site, the Inca, accompanied by dignitaries and La Qoya, pays homage to the Sun God, Inti. With fervent words, he calls upon the sun's strength and blessings for the proceedings ahead. "Oh, divine sun, our paternal figure, radiant source of perpetual joy, vital warmth, and genesis of existence. From this hallowed abode in Cusco, where you dwell alongside the Moon, Lightning, and Thunder, your progeny from the Empire of the Four Regions humbly extend salutations on your festive day." This moment heralds the commencement of the Inti Raymi, an ancient ritual venerating life and fecundity, esteemed as one of the paramount ceremonies within Inca heritage.
Ceremony at Aucaypata or main Square of Cusco
10:30 a.m.
Following the completion of the initiation ceremony of the Inti Raymi at the Qoricancha, the Inca, accompanied by his retinue and the Imperial Army, embarks on a solemn procession through the ancient Inca thoroughfares, including Loreto Street, leading them to the Plaza de Armas, the principal square of Cusco, specifically to Aucaypata. Upon arrival at this site, the Ñustas, Aqllas (selected women), and the entirety of the imperial army are already assembled, positioning themselves in the Plaza de Armas in anticipation of the Inca's arrival. In this setting, the Inca, holding the highest authority in the empire, conducts the Coca ceremony, beseeching the Apus for protection and guidance through it.
Main and final Ceremony at the Park of Saqsayhuamán
following the completion of the Coca ceremony at Aucaypata Plaza, the ensemble proceeds to the remarkable expanse of the Sacsayhuamán archaeological park, situated approximately 3 kilometers from Cusco. Here, an audience of around 80,000 individuals, among them 3,500 tourists who have acquired tickets for the grandstands arranged on the expanse, eagerly anticipate the commencement of the central event of the Inti Raymi festival.
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