In the Moche valley, 5 km northwest of the city of Trujillo, are the remains of Chan Chan (Sun-Sun), the city's largest mud America Prehispánica capital religious and administrative affairs of the kingdom of Great Chimu, until it was conquered by the Incas.

It was declared World Cultural Heritage by UNESCO in 1986.

The archaeological zone covers an area of 20 km2 and it is estimated that it was inhabited by more than 100 thousand people, would have belonged to different social classes as reveal three types of buildings that are there: working class, intermediate and monumental, the latter expressed in the palaces where the lords lived Chimu-Cápac. It was built between XII and XV of our era and presents approximately nine walled structures 200 m to 400 m in length, the same ones that are shaped by truncated pyramids, palaces, squares, houses, warehouses, workshops, labyrinthine network of streets, among others. As hydraulic system to excel their irrigation canals and reservoirs, in addition to the underground aqueducts and irrigation channels that were built with real mastery for transporting water from great distances.

One of the features of Chan Chan are its walls with decorations that highlight show geometric motifs and designs zoomorfos stylized. Originally its walls reached just over 12 m high.

Famous archaeologists and scholars have conducted research in the area, such is the case from the Swiss Juan Diego Tschudi, with the surname which has been called a sector referred complex.

Everything indicates that the productive system of the kingdom of Great Chimu reached a great moment of boom which resulted in a society which has developed a wide architecture and agriculture, beating desert whose inhabitants made magnificent artistic expressions in
Ceramics and metallurgy, to the delicacy of the watermark, which is why they known as the best goldsmiths of ancient Peru.

Chan Chan is also known for its legends recounting the existence of treasures found on the inside as the chair of gold and pearls that where, was discovered in 1535 by from Estete Martin, founder of Trujillo, or one that indicates that in 1864, an alien Ephraim name George Squier found silver vessels which then merged.

Currently, the complex has an archaeological museum and a tourist site.

Altitude

A 34 m

Travel information.

For air. Daily flights from Lima to Trujillo (50 minutes).
By land. Buses to the city of Trujillo by Panamerican highway from Lima, 561 km (8
Hours), from Chiclayo, 210 km (3 hours) and from Piura, 410 km (6 hours).
Public transport from Trujillo to Chan Chan and spa Huanchaco, 5 km (15 minutes)
And 13 km (25 minutes) respectively. Public transport to the Huacas of the Sun and the Moon, 8
Km (20 minutes).


Lodging

Hotels and hostels to 5-star hotel in Trujillo.

Activities

Archaeology and trekking.

Tourist Services

Transportation services. Travel agencies offer various programs

Minimum

We recommend 2 days to visit archaeological sites and 1 more day to make the journey
By the historic center of Trujillo.

Season / Weather

You can visit all year round. It is a temperate region and warm; strong in the heat
Summer months between December and March.

Season / Climate. You can visit all year round. It is a temperate region and warm;
High heat in the summer months, between December and March.