Rumicolca

Rumicolca is a stone gate located southeast of Cusco, Peru. It formed part of the outer defenses of the Inca capital and served as an important checkpoint controlling access to the city. The structure predates the Inca, likely originating from the Wari culture, who occupied the area centuries before the rise of the Inca Empire. The Inca subsequently modified and incorporated Rumicolca into their defensive system.

The gate is constructed from roughly hewn stones and consists of a single opening flanked by two imposing walls. Its strategic location controlled the flow of traffic and trade along the road connecting Cusco to the Lake Titicaca region. The name Rumicolca is derived from Quechua words, with "rumi" meaning stone and "colca" referring to storage structures, possibly indicating that the site also functioned as a place for storing goods and collecting tribute.

Rumicolca is considered an important archaeological site and a testament to the sophisticated engineering and defensive strategies of both the Wari and Inca civilizations. Its presence illustrates the continuity of occupation and the adaptation of earlier structures by subsequent cultures in the Andean region. While not as extensively restored as some other Inca sites, Rumicolca continues to provide insights into the history and pre-Columbian past of the Cusco region.