Inti Raymi Festival - Full Day

Every year on June 24, Cusco celebrates Inti Raymi, an Inca traditional and religious ceremony of the Inca Empire, which was called  Tahuantinsuyo by the Incas. The Inti Raymi Festival of the Sun is held in honor of the Inca sun god Inti, the central deity in Inca mythology. The festival also celebrated the winter solstice on June 21st and the Inca New Year. The last Inti Raymi celebration held by the Incas themselves took place in 1535, shortly before the Spanish conquest.

The Spanish and their Catholic priests quickly banned such festivals. Led by the Viceroy Francisco de Toledo, who considered it a pagan festival. He is primarily known for prohibiting the Inti Raymi festival in 1572.  This festival of the Sun God Inti was almost lost forever. However, the idea of Inti Raymi was carried through generations of Peruvians and was also documented in the chronicles of Inca Garcilaso de la Vega. Finally, in 1944, a historical reconstruction of the festival was held in Cusco. Faustino Espinoza Navarro, a Quechua scholar, was a founding member of the Peruvian Academy of the Quechua Language. He recovered the ancient writings from these ancient chronicles, including Inti Raymi. Using this, he created a theatrical representation of the ceremony. This is still used in the celebration today.

Since then, the colorful Festival of the Sun has been held every year, and indigenous cultures throughout the Andes have brought their festival back to life. 

The re-reenactment of Inti Raymi in Cusco is beautiful and takes place across three different locations: the Koricancha (Temple of the Sun), the Plaza de Armas of Cusco, and finally the impressive reconstruction of the original Inca ceremony at the archaeological site of Sacsayhuaman. The three stages of Inti Raymi all have one thing in common: songs in the native language, Quechua, traditional dances that date back centuries, and brightly-colored traditional dress with items of clothing from Inca times. The central character's roles are the Sapa Inca and his consort Mama Oclla. These roles are chosen from famous Quechua actors and performers to portray the dignity and regality of the Inca emperor and empress.  The Inca makes his appearance and is carried on a large Golden platform, on the shoulders of the "orejones" or big ears.  The central show is at Sacsaywaman, where the 4 representatives of Tawantisuyo report to the emperor about the state of his empire and reaffirm their allegiance. The Sapa Inca makes a speech to the public and another to Inti, the sun god. Central to the celebration, of course, is the Inca beer, Chicha. This corn beer was sacred to the Incas and is central to the festival of the sun celebrations. A   large ceramic glass called a "kero" is passed from the Sapa Inca to his generals, and the festivities begin.

Today, this annual celebration, performed in Quechua, draws thousands of tourists to Cusco from all over the world. It is South America’s second-largest festival after the Rio de Janeiro Carnaval in Brazil. Smaller celebrations are held throughout the Andean region, and everywhere that the Quechua people now live, including far away places such as Madrid! Experience Inti Raymi in its native Cusco each year, on the 24th of June, and step into the colorful past of the Inca Civilization!