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Archaeological site · Huaraz, Áncash
Chavín de Huántar
The religious center of the Chavín culture, built between 1500 and 300 BC on the other side of the Cordillera Blanca, with the stone temple, underground galleries, the Lanzón monolith and the cabezas-clavas. UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
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About Chavín de Huántar
Chavín de Huántar lies at about 3,180 meters, at the confluence of the Huachecsa and Mosna rivers, on the eastern slope of the Cordillera Blanca. It was the religious and administrative center of the Chavín culture, built and occupied roughly between 1500 and 300 BC, and is one of the oldest sites in the Andes associated with a major religious tradition. It has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1985.
The complex has platforms and stone temples shaped like truncated pyramids, around sunken plazas. The largest structure, called the Castillo or Templo Novo, conceals within it a network of stone galleries, lit only by ventilation shafts. In the center of one of them is the Lanzón, a 4.54‑meter carved monolith that represents a deity with human and feline features.
In the temple walls were the cabezas-clavas, sculptures of stone heads fitted into the wall, which seemed to guard the temple. Today almost all of them are in the Museo Nacional Chavín, on the outskirts of town, along with other pieces found in the excavations.
The visit is usually done as a day tour from Huaraz, with a stop at Laguna de Querococha and passage through the Kahuish tunnel, which crosses the mountain range.
Before you go
Practical information
Cidade Turismo reviews its information regularly, but something may have changed. Check with the place before planning your trip.
How much time to set aside
2 to 3 hours for the temple and museum; the trip from Huaraz takes the whole day.
Best time
From May to September, in the dry season, when the road is usually calmer. The site closes some days of the week; check opening hours before you go.
How to get there
From Huaraz you go south to Cátac and then along the road that crosses the range via the Kahuish tunnel, about a 3-hour drive. Agencies run the day tour, and there are regular buses to the village of Chavín.
Tip
Visit the Museo Nacional Chavín on the outskirts of town to see the cabezas-clavas up close. In the galleries, walk slowly: they are narrow and low.
Get your questions answered
Frequently asked questions about Chavín de Huántar
Who built Chavín de Huántar?
The Chavín culture, between about 1500 and 300 BC. The site was a religious center that received pilgrims from the coast, the highlands, and the jungle.
What is the Lanzón?
A 4.54-meter stone monolith carved with the figure of a deity, located in the center of an underground gallery of the temple.
What are the cabezas-clavas?
Sculptures of stone heads that were fitted into the temple walls. Most are now in the Museo Nacional Chavín.
How long does the trip from Huaraz take?
About 3 hours each way, crossing the mountain range via the Kahuish tunnel.