Chan Chan, Adobe city archaeological site in Trujillo, Peru
Chan Chan is an adobe city in the Moche Valley, about five kilometers west of Trujillo. Its core holds ten walled palaces with plazas, storerooms and burial platforms, plus isolated ceremonial pyramids and artisan quarters. Walls show raised horizontal lines, spiral wave motifs and diamond-shaped cutouts.
The center emerged in the 9th century and served as the capital of the Chimor Kingdom until the Inca conquest around 1470. Each new ruler built a separate administrative center within the city.
The walls display patterns of marine fish, seabirds, and waves that show the Chimú people's close connection with the Pacific. Visitors today still see these reliefs in the inner courtyards of the royal palaces, where ceremonial gatherings took place.
The paths lead through the preserved sections of the adobe structures, with some parts sheltered by protective roofing against rain. A visit takes about two hours and is best done in the morning when the sun is less intense.
The city had a sophisticated water system with wells reaching up to 12 meters (40 feet) deep into the ground. The Chimú also used artificial ponds for raising fish and irrigating their fields.
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