Tiwanaku

Tiwanaku, also spelled Tiahuanaco, is an archaeological site in western Bolivia near Lake Titicaca. It was the ceremonial and political center of the Tiwanaku culture, one of the major pre-Columbian civilizations of the southern Andes. The site is located in the Tiwanaku Municipality, Ingavi Province, La Paz Department, at an altitude of about 3,850 meters on the Andean Altiplano.

The Tiwanaku culture flourished roughly from 500 BCE to 1000 CE, with its peak between the 6th and 9th centuries CE. The polity controlled a broad region around Lake Titicaca and across parts of the Andean highlands through exchange networks and religious influence. The site functioned as a political and religious hub, coordinating agricultural production, craft specialization, and ritual activity.

The core monuments include the Akapana pyramid, the Kalasasaya temple complex, and the Pumapunku precinct, along with the Gate of the Sun. Pumapunku is noted for its large, precisely cut stone blocks and sophisticated interlocking joints. The Gate of the Sun is a prominent carved andesite panel representing a solar deity and is emblematic of Tiwanaku iconography. Tiwanaku craftsmanship is evident in ceramics, sculpture, and ceremonial architecture, reflecting a highly organized society.

Agriculture supported by raised-field farming (waru waru) and sophisticated irrigation helped sustain urban density and regional influence. The site’s decline began around 1000–1100 CE, with environmental stresses and social changes cited as contributing factors. Tiwanaku influence persisted in the region, and elements of its art and religious symbolism were later assimilated by neighboring cultures, including the Inca.

Tiwanaku was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000 and remains a focus of archaeological research and cultural heritage in Bolivia.