Description of the attraction
The Sun Gate is perhaps one of the most famous monuments of the Tiwanaku archaeological complex. They are located near Lake Titicaca in the city of La Paz. There used to be a seaport here, and among its remains are perfectly preserved ruins of giant stone structures, among which the Gate of the Sun stands out. They are 3 meters high and 4 meters wide. They were created from solid pieces of stone with a relief image. At the top of the gate, over the opening, a completely mythical creature was placed, which combines the signs of a man, a snake, a condor and a cat. On the sides of the creature are 48 "condors". Their faces are turned towards the center. The entire surface of the Gate is covered with bizarre hieroglyphs. In 1949, researchers deciphered these inscriptions, which turned out to be a very accurate astronomical calendar. Surprisingly, in this calendar, the year consists of 290 days. And this is ten months, of which there are 24 days and two months for 25 days. Scientists suggest that the calendar of an unearthly civilization is written on the Gate of the Sun. Not far from the Gate of the Sun there is a similar Gate of the Moon. They differ little, only in isolated details in the inscriptions and images. Previously, the monuments were covered with gold leaf, as evidenced by the preserved gold carnations on the gates.
