Raqch'i (Quechua) is an Inca archaeological site located in the district of
San Pedro de Cachas in the province of Canchis, Cuzco, Peru.
The archaeological site is also known as the Wiracocha temple due to one of
its emblematic constructions.
It is located close to the village of Raqchi and the Vilcanota River.
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Entrance to Raqchi village
The Inka site at Raqch'i was a primary control point on a road system
that originated in Cusco and expanded as the Inka empire grew. It is
located in a valley known for sacred sites.
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On the nearby hillsides are irrigated terraces which were likely used
to keep the qullqas full for those traveling through.
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Raqchi Plan
Plan Legend:
- Parking lot
- Church of Raqchi
- Temple of Wiracocha
- Living quarters (Chasqui Wasi)
- Storehouses (Colcas) sector
- Agricultural plots
- Lagoon
- Fountains
- Usno
- Raqchi viewpoint
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Church of Raqchi
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Raqchi Chapel
According the inquiry made in the community of Raqchi this beautiful
chapel was built in the first decade of the 19th century by the master
stonecutters of the community. The right tower was built by Mr. Manuel
Amaru who came from the Urinsaya neighborhood and the left tower belongs
to the Hanansaya neighborhood that was built by Mr. Lifuncio Mamani and
Marcos Arosquipa.
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For the construction of the towers the referred teachers used volcanic
stones denominated basalto and the pomez carved semi thin joined with
prepared mixture.
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The elaboration of adobes and the construction of lateral walls of the
chapel were realized in communal works and of organized form. They did
with enough faith in the catholic religion.
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The chapel has three images of saints: The Virgin of Las Nieves whose
religious festival is celebrated on August 5, Patron Saint Michael
Arcangel is celebrated on September 29 and the Virgin of the Rosary is
celebrated every third Saturday and Sunday of October.
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Also the old comuneros say that in the chapel existed 3 pictures of
the Escuela Cusquena that unfortunately were subtracted many years
ago. Currently inside the chapel there are 7 regular size paintings
with the designs of the Arcangeles acquired by the community in the
year 2007 and a picture on desing, the last dinner acquired in the
year 2017.
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The most valuable of the relics that the chapel has is the colonial
wind organ of small size in relation to those that exist in the
region, which unfortunately does not work and is only on exhibition.
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Small colonial pipe organ
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Michael
Michael, also called Saint Michael the Archangel, Archangel Michael is
an archangel in Judaism, Christianity, Islam, and the Baha'i faith.
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The earliest surviving mentions of his name are in third- and
second-century-BCE Jewish works, often but not always apocalyptic,
where he is the chief of the angels and archangels, and he is the
guardian prince of Israel and is responsible for the care of Israel.
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Christianity conserved nearly all the Jewish traditions concerning
him, and he is mentioned explicitly in Revelation 12:7–12, where he
does battle with Satan, and in the Epistle of Jude, where the author
denounces heretics by contrasting them with Michael.
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See more at
Michael (archangel) - Wikipedia.
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Hadraniel
Hadraniel (or Hadrianiel among other variant spellings), whose name
means "majesty [or greatness] of God", is an angel in Jewish Angelology
assigned as gatekeeper at the second gate in heaven. He is supposed to
be more than sixty myriads of parasangs (approximately 2.1 million miles
or 3.4 million kilometers) tall and a daunting figure to face.
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When Moses arrived in heaven to get the Torah from God, it was said
that he was speechless with awe at the sight of Hadraniel. Hadraniel
did not think Moses should have the Torah, and made him weep in fear,
which caused God to appear and reprimand Hadraniel for causing
problems. Hadraniel quickly decided to behave and acted as a guide for
Moses. This was a great help, for (according to Zoharic legend) "when
Hadraniel proclaims the will of the Lord, his voice penetrates through
200,000 firmaments." Also, according to the Revelation of Moses, "with
every word from his (Hadraniel's) mouth go forth 12,000 flashes of
lightning."
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In Gnosticism Hadraniel is only one of seven subordinates to Jehuel,
prince of fire (King, p. 15). In the Zohar (55b), Hadraniel speaks to
Adam about Adam's possession of the Book of the Angel Raziel, which
was said to contain secret information that not even the angels knew.
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Ariel
Ariel is an angel found primarily in Judaism and Christianity.
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In the Hierarchy of the Blessed Angels, by Thomas Heywood in 1635,
Ariel is called "The great lord of the Earth."
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In some mystical and occult texts he has been described as having the
head of a lion and as an angel who punishes demons and has power over
the earth. Today this power is understood to protect the Earth and its
inhabitants. In modern mysticism, Ariel is conjured as an angel with
dominion over the Earth, creative forces, the North, elemental
spirits, and beasts.
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Ariel, the angel of nature, protects and heals animals and plants. He
is also in charge of the four elements, water, fire, earth and air. He
is the angel who protects the environment and the creatures that
inhabit it, especially wild animals. He also protects pets. He works
with Archangel Raphael to heal animals according to God's will. Due to
his qualities as a protector of the environment, Ariel is represented
with a globe or with elements of nature.
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As one of the angels called virtues, Ariel is tasked with inspiring
people to create great works of art and achieve scientific
discoveries.
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See more at
Ariel (angel) - Wikipedia.
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Raphael
Raphael ("God has healed") is an archangel first mentioned in the Book
of Tobit and in 1 Enoch, both estimated to date from between the 3rd and
2nd century BCE.
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Due to his actions in the Book of Tobit and the Gospel of John, Saint
Raphael is associated as the patron saint of travelers, the blind,
happy meetings, nurses, physicists, healthcare workers, matchmakers,
Christian marriages, and Catholic studies.
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As a particular enemy of the devil, he was protector of sailors in
Catholic Europe.
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See more at
Raphael (archangel) - Wikipedia.
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Zerachiel
Zerachiel or Zachariel (God has remembered) also known as "Zakhariel" or
"Saraqael", is one of the Archangels who leads souls to judgement.
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In Enoch I (the Book of Enoch) (Chapter 20) he is listed as one of the
seven holy angels who watch; the angel who is set over the spirits who
sin in the spirit. In the list of Pope Gregory I, one of the seven
archangels is called Zachariel.
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See more at
Zerachiel - Wikipedia.
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Uriel
Uriel ("El/God is my flame") or Oriel is the name of one of the
archangels who is mentioned in the post-exilic rabbinic tradition and in
certain Christian traditions.
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He is well known in the Russian Orthodox tradition and in folk
Catholicism (in both of which he is considered to be one of the seven
major archangels) and recognised in the Anglican Church as the fourth
archangel.
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He is also well known in European esoteric medieval literature. Uriel
is also known as a master of knowledge and archangel of wisdom.
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See more at
Uriel - Wikipedia.
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Gabriel
In the Abrahamic religions (Judaism, Christianity, Islam and the Baháʼí
Faith), Gabriel is an archangel with the power to announce God's will to
mankind.
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In the Hebrew Bible, Gabriel appears to the prophet Daniel to explain
his visions (Daniel 8:15–26, 9:21–27). The archangel also appears in
the Book of Enoch and other ancient Jewish writings not preserved in
Hebrew. Alongside the archangel Michael, Gabriel is described as the
guardian angel of Israel, defending its people against the angels of
the other nations.
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In the New Testament, the Gospel of Luke relates the Annunciation, in
which the angel Gabriel appears to Zechariah foretelling the birth of
John the Baptist with the angel Gabriel foretelling the Virgin Mary
the birth of Jesus Christ, respectively (Luke 1:11–38).
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Islam regards Gabriel as an archangel sent by God to various prophets,
including Muhammad. The first five verses of the Al-Alaq, the 96th
chapter of the Quran, are believed by Muslims to have been the first
verses revealed by Gabriel to Muhammad.
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See more at
Gabriel - Wikipedia.
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Woman dressed in typical local clothes
During the Spanish colonial period, the settlement was abandoned. And
around 1864, the area was occupied again, with the construction of a
village and chapel.
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Currently, in addition to the archaeological site, there is a village
of residents with approximately 100 families.
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Peruvian chess
In Peru, instead of playing white against black, chess plays the Spanish
against the Incas.
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Raqchi Archaeological Park
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Wiracocha Temple seen from the west
The most prominent structure is the Temple of Wiracocha, an enormous
rectangular two-story roofed structure that measures 92 metres (302 ft)
by 25.5 metres (84 ft).
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This structure consists of a central adobe wall some 18 to 20 meters
(59 to 65 ft) in height with an andesite base.
- Windows and doors allow passage.
- It is flanked on each side by a row of eleven columns.
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The foundations measure 4 metres (13 ft) for both the wall and the
columns are classic high Inca stonework with the remaining height
built of adobe.
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Panorama of the west side of the Wiracocha Temple
Prior to its destruction by the Spaniards, the temple had what is
believed to be the largest single gable roof in the Incan Empire, know
having its peak at the central wall, then stretching over the columns
and some 25 metres (82 ft) beyond on each side.
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The largest gable roof on the Inca Empire and Pre-Columbian Americas
know so far is located inside the Inkallaqta complex, however it
doesn't have a peak at the central wall like in the Temple of Raqchi.
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The huge proportions of the Raqchi temple, and its prominence on the
site explains why the whole complex is also sometimes referred to as
the Temple of Wiracocha.
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Rehearsal for the Raqchi International Folk Festival
The Raqchi Folk Festival originated in 1968, developing as one of the
most important events in the province of Canchis, attended by more than
25,000 people around a pre-established program.
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It is held every third Sunday in June, and revolves around a
traditional staging and a competition of typical dances of the region.
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On the day of the festival, thousands of people arrive with their
snacks and their jars of chicha de jora on their shoulders to
encourage the dance groups from their communities that will
participate in the Festival.
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Wiracocha Temple seen from the northeast
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Wiracocha Temple seen from the east
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Openings in the Inca wall
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East entrance door to the Wiracocha Temple
The temple is the only Inka building for which we have an account of how
people should walk through it.
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It is highly significant that the design of the building means that,
on entering its two known doorways, progress of visitors is
immediately blocked by a series of tall pillars that they are forced
to walk around.
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If devotees took this as a suggestion as to how to proceed through the
building, they would have begun to trace a path similar to a zig-zag
motion.
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This could have been a deliberate design; a way to express aspects of
Inka cosmology, in particular their relationship with Wiracocha.
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In processing through the temple, the devotees would have wound their
way towards the statue of Wiracocha, the volcano and the spring.
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Wiracocha Temple seen from the southwest
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Panorama of the living quarters (Chasqui Wasi)
Adjoining the temple to the north are twelve living quarters which would
have housed both priests and local administrators.
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The living area is divided into separate squared lots, the largest of
which is roughly 4 x 6 m (13 x 19 ft).
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All have niches in their walls which might have been used for storage,
though some of the niches have cover posts, suggesting they may have
held sacred objects.
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The Wiracocha Temple seen from the living quarters
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Storehouses
To the eastern side of the temple are 152 round qullqas in
parallel lines, each measuring some 10 metres (33 ft) in diameter.
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These storehouses were used to hold grains, such as corn and quinoa,
that would have been used for ceremonial purposes as well as pottery,
woven cloth and military equipment.
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The storehouses are also unique as unlike other structures throughout
the empire they are not square cornered. The reason for this is
unknown.
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Panorama of the Storehouses seen from the living quarters
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Panorama of Raqchi seen from the Lake (Qucha)
The Qucha (Quechua for "lake") is an artificial lake fed by a spring
through two sets of finely constructed stone fountains with a raised
platform beside one of them.
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It is a central feature of the site that is overlooked by both the
temple and the raised platform, and is fed by two fountains.
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Panorama of Raqchi seen from the Usno
A walled area called Usno, was a place where authorities gathered with
the people to announce new laws and orders.
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It also was the spot where the Inca emperor met with the inhabitants,
when visiting the city.
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Two fountains
The two fountains are of a type that the Inka used in cleansing rituals
and as a place to make offerings.
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Between the northern fountain and the raised platform archaeologists
found a deep layer of ash that may have been the remains of burnt
offerings made on or near the raised platform. This ash was possibly
being stored prior to depositing it in the qucha and letting it wash
into the Willkanuta River (a similar ceremony is reported for Inka
Cuzco).
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In Inka cosmology, springs were often regarded as sacred, and the
association with the temple and the volcano may suggest that the
spring at Raqch'i, with its fountains, was conceived of as the place
of origin of the K'ana people mentioned in the legend of Wiracocha.
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Wiracocha Temple seen from the lake
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See also
Source
Location
