Lying more than 12,000 feet above sea level and encompassing more space than any other body of water in South America, Lake Titicaca's geographic magnitude is cannot be underestimated. The lake’s grandeur led early inhabitants to identify it with divinity. From early cults to Catholicism, Lake Titicaca and its largest island, the Island of the Sun, have taken on spiritual roles that exceed even the geographic splendor of the region.

Sacred spaces tend to be retained even after political or religious upheaval. Just as Jerusalem has been preserved and co-opted by believers in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, succeeding Andean societies have used the Island of the Sun. Starting with pre-state societies the Island was the presumed site of multiple cults. Later, the Kolla civilization emerged with a fully developed narrative explaining the origins of the universe, a creed that gave extreme weight to the Island. Subsequently, the Kolla tradition was incorporated into the Incan belief structure to legitimize their regime.

This web page will explore the spiritual significance of the Island of the Sun located in Lake Titicaca.