A fascinating archaeological wonder, Chan Chan is the largest pre-Columbian city in South America. Close to the Peruvian city of Trujillo, Chan Chan was constructed by the Chimor civilization and was built between the 9th and 15th centuries. Before it was captured by the Inca Empire in the mid 15th century, it is believed to have been home to about 30,000 people.
Chan Chan was made up of 10 walled “citadels” which contained residences, temples, burial areas, ceremonial rooms, and reservoirs for those who lived within the citadel. The walls were made of adobe brick and then coated with a mud-like material to form a smooth surface. On that surface, intricate designs were carved. Most of the carvings at Chan Chan feature ocean-related motifs, most likely due to the city’s proximity to the coast and the water.
Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1986, visitors can enter and view one of the citadels – The Tschudi Complex – which is believed to been built in the later days of the Chimor civilization. Because this mud city has been severely eroded by the heavy rains and floods common to the Pacific Coast of Peru, tourism is limited so as not to cause further damage.