Most of the concerts and expositions are for free and sponsored by the city of Cusco and Peruvian companies. For more than half a century the festival takes place at the archeological complex of Sacsayhuamán, also called the Sacred House of the Sun. More than 200 thousand people come together to witness the most beautiful spectacle of the year where more than 500 actors proudly bring the past alive. The highlight of the Inti Raymi is in the oration given by the Sapa Inca and the high priest in the original language of the Incas, Quechua. This ancient language is still spoken in wide areas in and around Cusco, mainly in the Peruvian highlands. For a decade the Inti Raymi starts in the square in front of the Qorikancha,also known as the Santa Domingo in the Avenida del Sol (see picture). The Sapa Inca honors, with an eloquently strong voice, the blessings of the Sun and this most sacred day. After this initiation the procession moves with imperial dignity to the fortress of Sacsayhuamán. At the top the Inca is carried on a golden throne (see picture next page). The abundant gold and silver worn by the men and women, respectively, represent their status as the high society and invokes deep respect for their fallen empire.

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