Brazil
Argentina
Bolivia
Chile
Colombia
Ecuador
Guyana
French Guiana
Falkland Islands (Malvinas)
Paraguay
Suriname
Uruguay
Venezuela
Germany
Belgium
Denmark
Spain
France
Greece
the Netherlands
Ireland
Italy
Luxembourg
Norway
Portugal
the United Kingdom
Sweden
Switzerland
Archaeological site · Trujillo, La Libertad
Chan Chan
The capital of the Chimú kingdom, an adobe city of about 20 km² between Trujillo and Huanchaco, with walled palaces, plazas and walls decorated with friezes of fish, birds and waves. 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.
Discover
About Chan Chan
Chan Chan was the capital of the Chimor kingdom, the Chimú culture, which dominated the northern coast of Peru from about 900 until the Inca conquest around 1470. The city covered about 20 km² at the mouth of the Moche valley, 5 km from downtown Trujillo, and is considered the largest adobe city in the Americas. It was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1986.
The core of the city had ten large walled complexes, the rulers' palace‑mausoleums, with plazas, storage rooms, audience halls and funerary platforms, surrounded by craftsmen's neighborhoods. The adobe walls rose several meters high.
Visits are usually made to Palácio Nik An, also called Tschudi, the restored complex open to the public. There you can see the ceremonial plaza, the corridors with walls decorated by mud friezes with fish, seabirds, nets and waves, and the water reservoir. The site museum by the road shows models and objects from the excavations.
Adobe is fragile in the face of rain and wind, and parts of the site are covered by protective structures. A guided visit helps to understand the city.
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
About 1.5 to 2 hours for Palácio Nik An and the site museum.
Best time
In the morning, before the midday sun gets strong. Check times and whether the ticket includes other sites, like Huaca Arco Iris.
How to get there
It's between Trujillo and Huanchaco, beside the road that links the two towns, about a 15‑minute taxi ride from the center. City buses to Huanchaco stop by the entrance.
Tip
Start at the site museum to see the model of the whole city before entering the palace. Bring a hat and water: there is little shade.
Get your questions answered
Frequently asked questions about Chan Chan
Who built Chan Chan?
The Chimú, who dominated the north coast of Peru from about 900 until the Inca conquest, around 1470.
What part of Chan Chan is visited?
Mainly the Nik An Palace, or Tschudi, one of the ten walled complexes of the city, restored and open to the public, and the site museum.
What do the wall friezes represent?
Fish, seabirds, nets and waves—themes linked to the sea, the basis of Chimú life.
Is Chan Chan near Huanchaco?
Yes, on the route between Trujillo and Huanchaco, a few kilometers from the beach.