Festival of the Sun Celebration - Cusco Peru
The Inti Raymi (Festival of the Sun) is a religious ceremony of the Inca Empire in honor of the god Inti, one of the most venerated gods in Inca religion. It really was the celebration of the Winter Solstice - the shortest day of the year in terms of the time between sunrise and sunset. In South America, which falls below the equator, the months of June & July are Winter months.
During the Inca Empire, the Inti Raymi was the most important of four ceremonies celebrated in Cusco, as related by Inca Garcilaso de la Vega. The celebration took place in the Haukaypata or the main plaza in the city.
