Pu'ukohola Heiau National Historic Site is a National Park Service administered area just north of Kona on Hawaii's Big Island
Built in 1790-1791 by Kamehameha the Great (and cast of thousands), this temple (Heiau) was meant to get the war god, Ku behind Kamehameha's effort to unite the Hawaiian Islands under his rule.. (I am Kamehameha's temple to Ku, pray tell me sir, whose temple are you?)
Kamehameha built his larger temple uphill from this long extant Mailekini Heiau. Beyond is Kawaihae Bay where sharks congregate around another temple built for them below water (and now covered with so much silt that no one knows for sure where it is.)
We are looking over the east side of Mailekini Heiau towards the marina at Kawaihae Bay. While this area looks a little desolate, for four tumultuous years, it was the center of Hawaiian history. Kamehameha's residence was here while he plotted taking over the other islands. In addition, this was where his European assistant, John Young, held sway with any outsiders who wished to trade with the Hawaiian Islanders.
Now the temples are closed due to an October 2006 earthquake which made their fragile walls unstable. These walls are essentially piles of rounded stones. Hawaiians had no mortar until John Young built a European-style house near this spot.
This is a sacrificial tower near the temple. Pu'ukohola Heiau was inaugurated with the sacrifice of about a dozen humans including Kamehameha's chief rival (or rival chief) and his retinue of advisers (kahunas).
The site is quite sparse and dry (at 10" of rainfall per year, it is one of the driest places in the US.) Other than the stone temples themselves, the only markings are these signs. This one shows the cannons that John Young added to the old Mailekini Heiau to protect the bay.
This is the site of the Pelekane residence of Hawaiian kings. At its prime, there were about 90 dwelling here. Even kings lived in one room huts given the Hawaiian construction standards. (Kings would have a lot of large huts, compared with the commoners.)
This photo shows the broad view of the larger temple, Kamehameha's Pu'ukohola Heiau. The Park Service has built trails for tourists in this dry park. A state park and beach are adjacent.
Here's a panoramic shot of Mailekini Heiau. Since we are inland, we see the tall wall. The short wall would allow those approaching by sea to see the carved gods and human skulls that warn them not to mess with the kings who reside here.
