Chan Chan
UNESCO World Heritage Site: Chan Chan Archaeological Zone (1986, Listed In Danger). The Largest Adobe City In The Americas, Capital Of The Chimu Kingdom From About 850 AD, With Palace Walls Carved In Friezes Of Fish And Birds. Rain And El Nino Threaten The Mud Walls. · Trujillo, La Libertad
Chan Chan is the ruined capital of the Chimu kingdom, on the north coast about 5 km from Trujillo, and the largest adobe city in the Americas. The Chimu ruled this coast from about 850 AD until the Inca conquered them in the 15th century. The city was built of mud, in ten walled compounds called ciudadelas, and its walls are covered in relief friezes of fish, pelicans and waves. Most of it is unrestored, and the Tschudi complex is the main part open to visitors. The honest picture is a hot, shadeless site made of fragile mud, listed by UNESCO and threatened by rain and El Nino floods. It is worth a half day with a guide, and it pairs well with the nearby Huaca del Dragon, the Moche temples and the beach at Huanchaco. Bring a hat and water. Reach it by a short taxi or colectivo ride from Trujillo, and expect wind, sand and strong sun rather than shade. The museum at the entrance is small but worth a short stop, and a local guide at the gate adds a great deal to the friezes, which carry little signage and are easy to walk past.
Ruined adobe capital of the Chimu kingdom on the coast about 5 km north-west of Trujillo, with the Tschudi palace complex open to visitors, Trujillo, La Libertad, Peru
The site and its museum are open most days in daylight hours, with the last entry well before closing. Some complexes close for restoration or after heavy rain, so confirm which are open. A combined ticket usually covers several nearby sites and runs for a few days. It is NOT free for foreign visitors, and sections can close after El Nino damage, so check before you go.