60 km from the city of La Paz, seat of the government of Bolivia and surrounded by Lake Titicaca, is one of the most amazing archaeological sites of pre-Inca culture: Tiwanaku (or Tiahuanaco). Designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, the city went to Inca gods, which Teotihuacan to the Aztecs.

Tiwanaku culture flourished from approximately the year 1400 BC 1200 A.D. It was a powerful imperial state extended its dominance over the area of the highlands and the lowlands of southern central Andes to the Pacific coast. During that time, he left traces of its greatness in art and architectural ceramics, as well as in astronomical science. It was a great ceremonial and pilgrimage center, a unique example of the pre-Columbian cultures that are worth visiting. Even today, every June 21, there are colorful ceremonies of the Aymara indigenous culture that still lives in Bolivia, Chile and Peru. The sun’s rays at dawn penetrate the door of the temple and illuminate the magnificent Kalasasaya Ponce Monolith, marking the winter solstice and the beginning of a new year Aymará.

The ancient city is composed of units of large rectangular building and open spaces, streets and probably water. Some of them are:

*Kalasasaya or Temple of the Stones Paradas. This holds important sculptures such as the Ponce monolith and the famous Puerta del Sol at the top of this there is a frieze with the figure of the god Wiracocha iconography that is repeated in other Andean cultures.

* Semi Templete with a drainage system that still works today.

* Pyramid Akapanaesta, consisting of seven platforms and has an approximate height of 18 meters, the plant is in a staggered ring of 114 meters.

* Putuni, or «Palace of the Sarcophagus.» It is a rectangular platform with a 1.20 m. High, whose inner walls contain burial chambers. Typically, these cameras in the system enclosure of «sliding door» of stone, which slips to moisten the soil.

* Puma Punku or «Puerta del Puma»,  is one of the temples with the most extraordinary architectural quality.

To complete the visit is ideal to make a tour of the Museum and the Museum CAT Rock of Tiwanaku, located near the ruins. There is also the Museum of Tiwanaku in La Paz, which has lithic pieces, ceramics and other expressions of culture of Tiwanaku and pre-Columbian cultures.

Prices visits to the ruins:
(Includes visit to the ceremonial area and museum)
Foreign: $ 10 .- (U.S. $)
National: U.S. $ 10 .-
Students: U.S. $ 3 .-

Archaeological Museum of Tiwanaku in La Paz:
Tiwanaku Street No. 93 esq. Calle Federico Suazo

How to get there?
The visit to the ruins takes only 1 day. It is part of La Paz in the morning and returns late in the afternoon. There are good and many tours to the place. Minibuses depart daily every hour from the area of the cemetery in La Paz. It takes 2 hours and 1 hours in a minibus in transportation.

Your destination is the Tiwanaku culture, then Bolivia awaits you!