Kalasasaya, Temple complex in Tiwanaku, Bolivia.
Kalasasaya is a temple complex in Tiwanaku, located in the Bolivian highlands about 70 kilometers west of La Paz. The site consists of a large open courtyard surrounded by vertical sandstone pillars and walls made of carefully shaped stone blocks.
The complex was built between the 2nd century BCE and the 2nd century CE as a religious center for the Tiwanaku culture near Lake Titicaca. Over several centuries it served as a place for ceremonies and astronomical observations.
The complex takes its name from Aymara words for stone and upright, describing the many vertical blocks set into place. Visitors today see the remains of a ceremonial space that once formed the religious center of an entire civilization.
The sunken central court is reached by a monumental staircase set into an opening in the eastern wall. The four walls and the entrance gate were rebuilt between 1957 and 1960, so the pillars and ashlar sections seen today are partly modern reconstruction. The platform measures about 120 by 130 metres and is aligned to the cardinal directions, which helps orientation inside the enclosure.
The site shows precise alignments to sunrises during the equinoxes, revealing the astronomical knowledge of its builders. Within the grounds stands the Gateway of the Sun, a monolithic stone doorway featuring carvings of deities and calendar symbols.
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