The Chan Chan ruins is all that remains of the largest pre-Columbian city in the Americas (also the largest mud-built city in world). This ancient city was the capital of the Chimu empire, built in 1300 AD. It's 28 square km area is believed to have housed up to 60,000 inhabitants. While this city once housed vast qualities of gold and silver, it was badly plundered during the Spanish conquest - today only it's mud walls with a few decorative items remain. The city was made up of 9 major districts or compounds, each containing a royal burial mound. One such compound - the Tschudi compound (named after a 19th-century Swiss naturalist who visited and wrote about the area) has been partially restored. It features 4-meter thick defensive walls, 2 large courtyards, a large cistern (130 X 45 meters), a labyrinth-like section called the "Sanctuaries", and decorative designs (both restored and original) on walls in lots of places.

There is also a museum on the main road to the Chan Chan about 1 km before the run off. It explains a great deal about the Chimu people and admission is included in the admission cost for entering the ruins.

Payment Accepted:

These ruins are located about 5 kilometers west of Trujillo. There are buses leaving Trujillo on the corners of Espana & Industrial and Espana & Miraflores every few minutes and heading out to several of the surrounding ruins including Chan Chan - look for the white-yellow-orange B collectivo buses. There are also mini-buses that leave roughly eveyr half-hour from the Huacas del Sol y de la Luna (fare about 0.25 USD). It is also possible to take a taxi for roughly 3-4 USD.

Last edited on Jan 22, 08 5:59 PM.
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