Chinkana underground tunnel network beneath Sacsayhuamán sealed with concrete

September 25, 2026PeruArchitectureShare

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Key facts

• Chinkana Grande, located about 100 m north of the pool, is a massive bedrock formation covered with precisely carved steps, niches, and grooves.
• According to 20th-century Peruvian researchers and old chronicles, man-made passages beneath the bedrock penetrate to a depth of a kilometer and stretch beneath the entire historic center of Cusco.
• The tunnels reportedly connect Sacsayhuamán directly to the Coricancha temple, the principal Inca shrine.
• Authorities sealed the entrances with concrete in the middle of the last century, with the official excuse being that tourists got lost and died inside.
• Chinkana Chica is open to visitors and represents only a small fragment of the larger rock complex.

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