Quick Summary: Qorikancha, the Inca Temple of the Sun inside Cusco's Santo Domingo convent, has its own ticket: S/20 (about US$6) for adults and S/10 for students, with children under 10 free, according to PromPerú's February 2026 page. The Boleto Turístico does not get you into the temple; it covers only the separate Museo de Sitio Qorikancha, under the garden, on Circuit II. PromPerú lists the temple open Monday to Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and only from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. on Sundays and public holidays. This guide is for first-time visitors working out which ticket to buy, what they will see and how to fit the visit into a Cusco day. For the wider ticket picture, see our Boleto Turístico guide.
Two Tickets, Two Doors: What Most Visitors Get Wrong
Qorikancha is two attractions sharing one site. The first is the temple and convent: the surviving Inca rooms, set around the cloister of the Church and Convent of Santo Domingo, which is still an active Dominican convent (Wikipedia). PromPerú's tourism site calls it the Museo del Convento de Santo Domingo, Qorikancha, and you pay for it at the convent entrance.
The second is the Museo de Sitio Qorikancha, a small archaeological museum underneath the lawn below the church. It is one of eight sites on the Boleto Turístico's Circuit II, run by COSITUC, the body that manages the Boleto. COSITUC says it holds pottery, textiles, tools and remains found in excavations at the complex.
So the Boleto does not get you into the temple, and the temple ticket does not get you into the museum. Nomadic Niko (updated May 2026) notes that many visitors are annoyed to find this out at the door.
What Each Ticket Covers
| Ticket | Where to buy | Foreign adult price | Gets you into | Does not cover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Qorikancha temple and convent | At the convent entrance | S/20 (about US$6); students S/10 (about US$3); under 10 free | The Inca rooms, the cloister and its paintings, the art galleries and the garden reached from the cloister | The site museum |
| Boleto Turístico, Circuit II partial | COSITUC sale points, in person only | S/70 (about US$20), valid 2 days | Museo de Sitio Qorikancha and seven other city and South Valley sites | The temple and convent |
| Boleto Turístico, full (integral) | COSITUC sale points, in person only | S/130 (about US$38), valid 10 days; foreign students S/70 | All 16 Boleto sites, including the site museum | The temple and convent, the Cathedral, Machu Picchu |
| Archbishopric religious circuit | Ticket desks at the churches it covers | Not verified here; quotes vary | The Cathedral, the Museo de Arte Religioso and San Cristóbal church | Qorikancha |
The temple prices come from PromPerú (24 February 2026), and Nomadic Niko confirms S/20 general admission as of May 2026. Tourism Cusco (July 2026) says Peruvian and foreign adults pay the same. Older pages quote less: Salkantay Trekking gave S/15 (students S/8) in April 2025, and PeruRail's blog still shows S/10. Budget S/20 in cash; Take Your Backpack (October 2026) says you pay in soles.
Boleto prices and validity are from COSITUC's tariff page, which counts ages 10 to 17 with ID, or 18 to 25 with a valid student or ISIC card, as students. For the convent's student rate, Salkantay Trekking says you need a valid card from an accredited institution. The religious circuit belongs to the Archbishopric of Cusco (Cusco Peru), not the Dominicans.
Opening Hours, Sundays and Holidays
- Monday to Saturday: 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., per PromPerú's listing. PeruRail's blog gives the same hours.
- Sundays and public holidays: 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. only. Machu Picchu Durval (January 2026) notes morning closures for church services, so a Sunday morning plan will not work.
- Conflicting figures: Tourism Cusco quotes 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Salkantay Trekking 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Arrive by 4:00 p.m. and you are safe on every version.
- 24 June (Inti Raymi): the festival opens at Qorikancha. Infobae's 2026 programme put the opening ceremony at about 8:30 to 10:00 a.m., so expect crowds and do your visit on another day. Our Inti Raymi guide covers the festival itself.
The site museum keeps its own hours, and they are reported inconsistently. Boleto Machu Picchu (updated August 2024) lists 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. daily, which we could not confirm. Check at its entrance on Avenida El Sol.
What You Actually See Inside
Set expectations first: there is no gold. What survives is fine Inca stonework wrapped in a colonial convent. This list follows Nomadic Niko's room-by-room description and PromPerú.
- The Inca rooms around the courtyard: on the west side, the chamber linked to Venus and the stars, with 25 trapezoidal niches that are thought to have held idols. On the east side, rooms linked to thunder (Illapa) and the rainbow. These dedications come from colonial chroniclers such as Garcilaso de la Vega, so treat them as tradition, not proof.
- The so-called sacrifice room: guides often give it that name, but Boleto Machu Picchu says its function is unknown, and Nomadic Niko notes that the stone in the middle was placed there by the Dominicans. A good example of a story that outruns the evidence.
- The curved wall: the Sun chamber itself was destroyed except for its curved outer wall at the northwest corner, which the church now stands on.
- The cloister: colonial arcades built around the original Inca courtyard, with an octagonal stone basin installed around 1600 and paintings of the life of Saint Dominic along the arcades.
- The galleries: PromPerú lists a reception hall with a 17th-century painted vault, a picture gallery of Cusco School paintings from the 16th to 18th centuries and a room of reproductions from Guaman Poma de Ayala's illustrated chronicle. Nomadic Niko adds that the old refectory now shows religious art.
- The gold plate: the gold sheet of Inca cosmology near the Venus chamber is a modern interpretive piece, not an Inca original.
- The Sacred Garden: you can walk into it from the west side of the cloister. PromPerú says the gardens sit on old Inca terraces. The site museum is underneath.
- The bell tower: PromPerú mentions one with a panoramic view; Salkantay Trekking (April 2025) lists an extra S/5. Ask whether it is open.
A Short History: Temple, Convent and Two Earthquakes
The temple was dedicated to Inti, the sun. The World History Encyclopedia says it is commonly attributed to Pachacuti Inca Yupanqui, whose rebuilding of Cusco began in 1438, though the exact chronology is unclear. It adds that 700 half-metre gold sheets of about 2 kg each "reportedly" covered the walls; we could not trace that count to a chronicle, so treat it as tradition. Wikipedia says most of the gold gathered for Atahualpa's ransom in 1533 came from here.
After the conquest the site passed to the Dominican order, which built its church and convent on the Inca walls. Sources disagree on the year of the handover, giving 1534 or 1538, and the church was consecrated in 1633 (Wikipedia). The 1650 earthquake forced major repairs to the colonial building but left the Inca masonry intact. A second earthquake in 1950 badly damaged the church and its tower, and, as historians writing for Fordham University's Vistas project explain, it revealed Inca walls that colonial building had hidden. The restoration's main work finished in 1976, which is why Inca rooms now stand open inside a working convent.
Guides, Photos and How Long to Allow
- Guide: we found no rule that requires one. Freelance guides wait at the door; Take Your Backpack puts a good one at about US$10–20, and Marvelous Peru quotes from S/40 (about US$12) per group. Agree the price and length before you start.
- Is it worth it: yes, more here than at most Cusco sites. Without context, the bare Inca rooms read as a row of empty chambers.
- Photos: Marvelous Peru says photography is allowed, but not with flash or a tripod indoors. We found no posted policy from the convent itself, so follow the signs, keep the flash off near the paintings and do not photograph people at prayer.
- Time: Take Your Backpack says 45 minutes to 1.5 hours, and Marvelous Peru and Machu Picchu Durval say 1 to 2 hours. Our advice: allow about 90 minutes for the temple and convent with a guide, plus extra if you add the site museum, which Boleto Machu Picchu describes as five rooms.
Fitting It In With the Cathedral and the Site Museum
Qorikancha is about 600 m from the Plaza de Armas, according to Boleto Machu Picchu, so it pairs naturally with the Cathedral, which needs its own ticket. A simple weekday plan:
- 8:30 a.m.: Qorikancha at opening, as Take Your Backpack also advises.
- Next, if you hold a Boleto: the site museum below the garden. Nomadic Niko calls it "not particularly interesting", and we would not buy a Boleto for it alone.
- Late morning: walk up to the Plaza de Armas for the Cathedral, then lunch.
On a Sunday, flip it: the Cathedral and the plaza first, Qorikancha after 2:00 p.m. Our Cusco historic walking tour strings Qorikancha together with the plaza, San Pedro Market and San Blas. Because the visit is short, central and mostly indoors, it suits your first or second day at altitude better than the climb to Sacsayhuamán; our first days in Cusco guide covers pacing.
Our Pick: Who Should Go and How
Go if you have even half a day in Cusco. Qorikancha is the clearest place in the city to see Inca and Spanish Cusco in one building, and it costs about US$6. It also ranks first in our things to do in Cusco shortlist.
- Buy: the S/20 temple ticket at the door, plus a guide if this is your first Inca site.
- Add the museum: only if you already hold a Circuit II partial or the full Boleto.
- Skip the overhype: the golden temple is a story you will hear, not something you will see. Come for the stonework and the layering of two empires.
- Avoid: Sunday mornings, holiday mornings and 24 June.
FAQ
Is Qorikancha included in the Boleto Turístico?
No. The Boleto covers only the Museo de Sitio Qorikancha, on Circuit II, not the temple and convent. You pay for the temple separately at the convent entrance.
How much does Qorikancha cost in 2026?
PromPerú lists S/20 (about US$6) for adults and S/10 (about US$3) for students, with children under 10 free. Some older guides still quote S/10 or S/15, so budget for S/20 and carry cash in soles.
Is Qorikancha open on Sundays?
Yes, but only in the afternoon. PromPerú lists 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. on Sundays and public holidays, against 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday to Saturday.
Can I buy Qorikancha tickets online?
We found no official online sale for the temple and convent; the sources we read describe paying at the entrance. COSITUC sells the Boleto, which covers the site museum, in person only.
Do I need a guide at Qorikancha?
No rule requires one, but we recommend it. Guides at the door are reported at about US$10–20, or from S/40 per group. Agree the price and length first.
Can I take photos inside Qorikancha?
Travel guides say yes, without flash or a tripod indoors. The church and convent are still in religious use, so follow posted signs and stay discreet during services.
How long do I need at Qorikancha?
Plan on 60 to 90 minutes for the temple and convent, or up to two hours with a guide and the site museum. On weekdays, arrive by 4:00 p.m.
Is the Qorikancha site museum worth visiting?
Only if you already have the Boleto. It is small, five rooms according to one guide, and Nomadic Niko calls it not particularly interesting. Do not buy a Circuit II ticket just for it.
Is the Cusco Cathedral on the same ticket as Qorikancha?
No. The Cathedral belongs to the Archbishopric of Cusco, sells its own ticket or religious circuit pass on the Plaza de Armas, and is not on the Boleto Turístico either.
Limitations
As of October 2026, the convent sets its own prices and hours and publishes no official price list we could find, so the S/20 fee and the Sunday hours come from PromPerú and recent travel guides that do not always agree. Mass, religious holidays and events such as Inti Raymi can change opening times at short notice, and a new Boleto Turístico law, announced by COSITUC on 1 August 2026, creates committees to set circuits and prices and phases in a digital ticket. Work-around: before you go, ask your hotel or call at the convent entrance to confirm the day's hours and price, and check COSITUC's tariff page if you plan to add the site museum.