Between 1982 and 1983, Anselm Pi Rambla and his team undertook a journey of archaeological, anthropological, and ecological research and exploration through various regions of Peru, collaborating with the government of architect Belaunde Terry. While in Cusco, conducting filming at Saqsaywaman, Pi Rambla, by a stroke of fate, was able to confirm firsthand the existence of the Chinkana thanks to the Prior of the Convent of Santo Domingo, Father Benigno Gamarra.
" .... In October 1982, I visited the Prior of the Convent of Santo Domingo to inquire about the legend of the Chinkana and whether the Dominicans had any proof of its existence. We presented our credentials from the Government of Peru, and to my great surprise, the Prior confirmed that the Chinkana did indeed exist, and he even knew where the entrance was, although it had been sealed for 40 years, and he himself had never entered it."
"He took us to the Main Hall of the Church, where there was a small altar on one of the sides, placed atop a wooden floor. We removed the altar and a carpet beneath it, revealing a wooden trapdoor that blended in with the floor. We opened the trapdoor and descended a staircase leading to a crypt from the colonial era. On the left-hand side of the crypt was the entrance to a tunnel, completely sealed with red brick masonry. Some of the bricks were loose, and we removed a few of them. Using a powerful flashlight, we confirmed the existence of a massive Incan tunnel. Its walls were made of rectangular andesite stones, expertly carved and fitted (similar to the temples above), with tightly joined seams. The ceiling was composed of smooth slabs, approximately 2 meters long, perfectly fitted together—truly a spectacular construction."
Crypt Drawings
Drawing of the tunnel-chinkana integration crypt
Drawing of the crypt of the Epistle Nave and tunnel with exit to the street
The tunnel must have been very long, as the beam of the
flashlight disappeared into the darkness. The Prior assured us that this tunnel was the entrance to
the famous Chinkana spoken of in all the legends, which connected to Saqsaywaman. We asked for
permission to break through the brick masonry wall and conduct a thorough investigation of the tunnel
with the rest of the exploration team, who at that moment were filming in Saqsaywaman. I was surprised
by the Prior’s reaction, as he flatly refused to allow us to explore beyond that point.
His words were: "You have already seen too much. You are privileged to witness what I have shown you,
and even with government permits, I will not let you enter that place as it is very dangerous."
The Prior’s unexpected reaction was very frustrating, as we couldn’t quite understand why he had shown
us this secret only to deny us further access. I believe that, in that moment, he became frightened and
regretted revealing everything to us. Additionally, we were unable to take any photographs since we
hadn’t brought a camera with us to the convent.
We later submitted a report about everything that had occurred to the Government of Belaunde Terry
through the Vice Minister of Tourism, Héctor Gadea Rubio.
This incident was one of the main reasons why, years later, Anselm Pi Rambla and his team initiated a
research project with the Government of Peru (Koricancha - Saqsaywaman Project, 2000) to explore and uncover this
highly significant and well-guarded secret.
Exact simulation of where we go down
Note: at the time of entering we did not have any camera with us, only a flashlight that we were able to focus on the tunnelTESTIMONY ENTERING THE CHINKANA
In March 1994, journalist and researcher Javier Sierra
obtained new information about the existence of the tunnel through the Prior of the
Convent of Santo Domingo, Father Benigno Gamarra:
" ... "The earthquake that devastated Cusco in 1950 forced us to seal the entrance to
the tunnel to further consolidate the church's foundations. However, not everything was
lost with that closure, because, as I was able to discover during my years as a student
here, and more recently as Prior, the tunnel served a very special purpose."
(Father Benigno Gamarra)
His interview with the Prior brought unexpected revelations he had not foreseen:
Father Benigno Gamarra, recently appointed as Prior of the site, summoned me
early one morning to show me something he had kept secret until that day. I remember
it well. The Father received me in his office shortly before dawn on March 21 to solve
the mystery of the golden corn. 'I will tell you, and I will allow you to take photographs
and ask questions, but only on one condition,' the Prior warned. 'You must not reveal
what I am about to share with you until I am no longer here.' I agreed.
Gamarra then unwrapped a bundle he had placed on the table in his office, revealing two
elaborate gold crowns with inlays. 'The golden corn you asked about was melted shortly
after the death of the student. With the gold we obtained, my predecessors crafted these
crowns for the Virgin and the Child in the church.'
And why aren't they in the church, with the images they were cast for? I asked, admiring
the worn gold of those jewels:
' We hid them a long time ago, so as not to arouse the ambition of treasure hunters.'
Golden Corn
Crowns of the Virgin and Child
CONVENT OF SANTO DOMINGO Concert and donation of Guaca
Important DOCUMENT from the 17th century available in the Regional Archive of Cusco where the Dominican fathers of the Convent of Santo Domingo del Cusco made a contract to enter the Chinkana Grande in order to find the treasure of the Incas
After remaining hidden for four centuries in the archives of
Cusco, we are pleased to present this groundbreaking document, which reveals crucial information
about the existence of the Chinkana in the Convent of Santo Domingo in Cusco, as well as the
fundamental role played by the Dominican friars in this fascinating and enigmatic matter.
This manuscript, discovered in late 2010 in the Royal Archive of Cusco by the Cusqueñan historian
Ronald Camala Valenzuela, while conducting research at the library of the National University of
San Antonio Abad of Cusco (UNSAAC), is an extraordinary and unique testimony belonging to the
archives of the Dominican Order in Cusco. It details how the Dominican friars actively participated
in the search for the Inca treasure, knowing that it had been hidden in the Chinkana of Cusco.
This discovery also corroborates the research and findings made by Anselm Pi Rambla and his team
in the Convent of Santo Domingo.
Thus, after 400 years of lying dormant in obscurity, we have the privilege of presenting this
significant document, which not only provides key information about the Chinkana of Cusco but also
sheds new light on the historical role played by the Catholic Church in this mysterious chapter of
Andean history.
