The first thing that occurred to us when we arrived at the entrance to northern Peru’s Chan Chan ruins, was that we might have been dropped off at the wrong place.
Considering the importance and span of the settlement itself, the entrance area seemed surprisingly small and unsophisticated, with just a few ticket and souvenir kiosks and some basic refreshments and bathroom facilities, housed within a shell of several brick walls.
Was this really the major gateway into the biggest pre-Columbian city in South America and the largest adobe city of the ancient world?

Adobe is a composite material made of earth mixed with water and an organic material such as straw, and often shaped into bricks.
Chan Chan and the Chimú culture
Before the encroachment of the feared Inca Empire, northern Peru was already thriving. Several cultures had established themselves here, either in the cloud forests further east, or here, where the arid desert meets the mighty Pacific Ocean.
One of those cultures, the Chimú, had themselves begun to emerge in around AD 700 from the fragments of the more aggressive Moche people. Located in the mouth of the Moche Valley, Chan Chan was the capital of the Chimú Kingdom of Chimor and is believed to have been constructed in around AD 850.
The ancient capital was vast. Spanning up to 20km2, and occupied by around 50,000 inhabitants, it comprised 10 walled citadels, or ciudadelas, each containing dozens of chambers, plazas, ceremonial rooms, storerooms and burial mounds, mainly for royalty. Irregular rooms called huacas, appended to the outer segments, housed the lower classes, and often doubled up as artisan workshops.
The Palacio Nik-An, also named the Tschudi Complex (after a Swiss naturalist), is the only ciudadela that has so far been restored to any notable degree, and it’s here we emerged when we passed through the entrance – straight into a massive, walled ceremonial courtyard and into the realm of the ancient Chimú kings. Definitely in the right place, then…..
First Ceremonial Courtyard
As a ritualistic arena, this courtyard is magnificent. The surrounding 4m-thick interior walls are adorned with replicas of the original geometric designs. Closest to the entrance, at ground level, you can see etchings of a few sea otters, the only originals left. But the most striking impression hits you as you set eyes on centre stage – a man, dressed in a colourful tunic and metal headdress stands in stoic warrior-stance, acting out his kitschy tourism role with remarkable gusto. A plinth of sorts, laced with further replica artefacts, completes the scene. It was one of the few occasions I was unable to resist the lure of a set-up photo opportunity.
I walked around afterwards, and despite the silence, I felt somehow transported back to a time where the courtyard brimmed with activity and chatter.
Heading out of the Ceremonial Courtyard via a ramp, we walked along the outside wall, one of the most decorated and best restored of the entire complex. A decorative frieze runs along its entire length, with a span of seabirds topped by streams of engraved fish. The ravages of time are clear to see in the rougher edges, but that’s where the authenticity of these few remaining originals really hits home.
Mystery of the Audience Rooms
The path along the outside wall leads into the mysterious labyrinth of the Audience Rooms. Nobody knows quite what their function was, but they were undoubtedly of major importance, because these are the most extensively decorated chambers on the site.

Many texts claim that Chan Chan means ‘Sun Sun’ in the Chimú language of Quingnam, and that it is so named for the hot, sunny climate. But the Chimú worshipped the Moon, and some suggest Chan is derived from ‘‘Shi’ meaning Moon and ’An’ meaning house, i.e. House of the Moon.
The Chimú lived very close to the coast, and in contrast to the Sun-worshipping Incas, they venerated the Moon – they knew it had some connection to the sea, the source of most of their food. As with many cultures through the ages, that which provides sustenance tends to be revered, so throughout Chan Chan, haut-relief motifs of seabirds, waves, fish, otters and sea lions can be seen everywhere, albeit mainly replicas, since most of the originals have long-since been eroded away.
Here in the Audience Rooms all of these symbols are represented, along with seemingly endless diamond-lattice surrounds. One thing I couldn’t determine, is why they were called the Audience Rooms if we’re not sure of their purpose? If anyone knows, please enlighten me!
Gran Hachaque Ceremonial Pool
Moving on from the Audience Rooms, past a second ceremonial plaza, another ramp takes you beyond the monochromatic expanses of adobe – to the pleasant contrast of the Gran Hachaque Ceremonial Pool, a freshwater reservoir surrounded (and somewhat invaded) by reeds and grasses. It’s likely that the water was used for food preparation among other things – what is also almost certain is that the reeds and grasses took hold only after the city fell to ruin. Today, the vegetation is maintained only because it provides an unusual oasis habitat in what is otherwise an arid landscape.
Water also featured heavily in Chimú culture by way of an extensive network of interconnected irrigation canals, wells, and aqueducts. Some say the Chimú were the first true hydraulic engineering society, so sophisticated was this network that its like wasn’t seen in the western world until the 18th century.
Echoes of the past in the Assembly Room
The final area we visited – and my favourite – was the Assembly Room. It consists of a large, rectangular room with 24 separate seats recessed into the walls and extra ‘grooves’ cut around them, which results in an incredible acoustic effect. The recesses somehow act as amplifiers, and would have maximised the resonance during ancient Chimú musical performances. You can test this out for yourself – which we did, of course – by poking your head through into one of the hollowed-out niches and belting out a loud ‘laaaaaaaaaaa’!
The decline of the Chimú and the fall of Chan Chan
In its heyday Chan Chan must have been an astonishing place to behold. The Chimú were spread widely along 1000km of the Peruvian coast, and were the last people standing in the way of the Inca Empire’s total domination, but in around AD1470, they too succumbed and were absorbed into Inca culture. The city inevitably began to fall into decline and when, in AD1535, the city of Trujillo was founded adjacent to Chan Chan by the Spanish conquistadors, many priceless artefacts were looted.
In modern times, appreciation of Chan Chan’s cultural and archaeological significance has grown, and excavation of the site began in the 1960s. In 1986 UNESCO designated Chan Chan a World Heritage Site. In Peru’s eastern jungles, coastal protected areas and sacred valleys of the south, tourists still stream through in their many thousands, but savvy travellers are beginning to wise up to the archaeological marvels offered in Peru’s northern deserts.
The challenges facing Chan Chan in the future won’t be about popularity, but the increasingly difficult climate circumstances. Northern Peru is particularly susceptible to riverbank-bursting downpours caused by high ocean temperatures and the El Niño current, and has already suffered much erosion over the centuries since its abandonment. In 2017, the region was battered by the most devastating floods for 20 years, but whether we’re seeing an increase in frequency and severity of these events due to climate change, we can’t yet tell. The job of continuing to preserve and restore Chan Chan won’t be cheap or easy, and while its historical significance is beyond doubt, the battle for its future continues.
Details
- there’s a museum about 15 minutes’ walk from the entrance, featuring excavated artefacts, replicas and leaflets in Spanish and English.
- the Palacio Nik-An site is located along the route from the city of Trujillo and the coastal resort of Huanchaco. Either one of these makes a great base for visiting the ruins.
- tickets cost $11 soles, are valid for 48hrs, taxis from Trujillo cost around 10-15 soles and at the other extreme, the bus running between Trujillo and Huanchaco is around 1.5 soles.
- take some water & sunglasses with you, with sun lotion and a hat or light shawl also a good idea – it’s mighty parched out there.
- we visited without a guide, but there is limited signage at the complex, so you’ll be walking around without much clue of what you’re looking at. I recommend you either visit the museum before, and pick up an information pamphlet, or book a guide at the entrance for around 30 soles. It may seem expensive compared to the ticket itself, but it does make the experience more meaningful (I had to do a lot of research post-visit). Tip: Look around and see if any other visitor who has just arrived wants to share a guide. Another option is to book an organised guided tour from Trujillo.
- we stayed at the Naylamp Hostel in Huanchaco (from 20 soles pppn)
I went here and visited the site in 2018….It was amazing history of a typical Amerinidian tribe pre Incan times. I’ve seen lots of these places, including the famous step pyramid in a small village off the main highway from Cusco to Puno on Lake Titicaca. Peru is a very very ancient place with man being linked there as far back as 4 to 6000 BC….
Thanks for the comment and apologies for the delayed reply! Peru certainly has so much more to offer than I was able to squeeze in during the few weeks I was there.
Wow I have never heard of this place, my sister is going to Peru never year so I will pass on the link to your post for her as I’m certain she would be interested in such an amazing place. I have also pinned it for when I finally make it over to Peru.
Thank you, glad you’re adding it to your list of places to explore and I hope your sister makes it to Northern Peru too – it’s always good to travel beyone the usual tourist hotspots!
What a fascinating place to visit! It’s good to see ancient cities like this are being preserved, especially considering the challenges of climate change. I like your tip about sharing a guide as well – smart thinking!
Thanks, Sally. I really learned from this visit that a guide can be invaluable, but sharing the cost does help, especially if you’re on a tight backpacking budget.
Peru is a fascinating country, not just for the well-known areas but the not so well known gems like this. The carvings and reliefs are incredible and the diamond lattice surrounds in the intriguing audience rooms are mesmerising. I hope I can go back one day and explore more of the north.
I felt the same when I went and was determined to explore the north a little – and I didn’t regret it! Next time, Kuelap will be on the list.
This was like a time travel into a different era. I never heard of this place in Peru. It’s a pity how such beautiful places are under threat due to climate changes brought about by humans. Thanks for introducing me to this beautiful place.
You’re so right, Sinjana, it’s horrifying to think that all this could be lost. Walking around Chan Chan really does feel like stepping back in time, so I’m glad that came through in the post 🙂
Having just visited Peru late last year, I am totally smitten with every aspect of their culture and trying to figure out a way to return. As you said, Machu Picchu might be the main event, but there is so much more to explore. I’ve only just scratched the surface and can’t wait to dig a little deeper. Thanks for giving me a good place to start!
Glad you’ve got some pointers to begin with! Northern Peru is rather ramshackle and hectic, but I love it for exactly that reason. It’s Peru BEFORE it’s shaped by mass tourism. 🙂
How fascinating! Great post, Sara. I’ve never heard of this place or these people. So good to come across something so new to me.
Thank you, I’d never heard of them eiher until I started reading the guide books during my trip – the Chimu people were definitely an intriguing culture.
I’m fascinated by ancient ruined cities so would love this. These sites are so much work to maintain and excavate but it’s so good to see that history is being conserved.
It can definitely be a labour of love to keep going, and Chan Chan is particularly challenging – but I agree, thank goodness the effort is being made.
This is fascinating. In all the hype over Peru this seems to have escaped the mass tourism industry so it is truly fascinating and unspoilt. Love your journey through it.
Thanks, Anna – as much as I loved Machu Picchu, I do hope travellers start making more effort to visit northern Peru – it offers so much!