Gate of the Sun, Monolithic stone gateway in Tiwanaku, Bolivia

The Gate of the Sun is a monolithic gateway carved from a single block of andesite stone, standing three meters tall and four meters wide. Its surface carries reliefs with geometric patterns and anthropomorphic figures extending across the entire width of the lintel.

The Tiwanaku culture carved the gate from a single andesite block around AD 500–950. European explorers found the megalith lying horizontally with a large crack in the mid-19th century; it now stands where it was found, though this is probably not its original site. An 1851 engraving served as the frontispiece of Antigüedades peruanas.

The central figure shows a deity holding staffs in both hands, flanked by carved figures with human and bird-headed features. These depictions were part of a belief system that connected sky and earth.

The complex sits at an altitude above 3,800 meters, which may cause mild altitude sickness for some travelers. A morning visit offers the best light for viewing the reliefs.

The frieze shows 48 subsidiary figures, originally 30, all moving toward the central figure: 32 with human heads and 16 with bird heads. The central figure's head is framed by 24 linear rays, and in its left hand it holds a stylized spear-thrower.