The distinctive monuments of the ancient capital of the Chimu Kingdom speak to the greatness of a civilization that has now vanished. Around 1200, the Chimu civilization replaced the Mochica culture in the Moche Valley, the center of a vast empire that stretched from Guayaquil Bay in the north to Paramonga in the south.
In this arid region, an intricate irrigation system channeled water from a natural river into an 80-kilometer-long canal, creating a level of fertility in Chan Chan that is hard to imagine today. Covering an area of 20 square kilometers, Chan Chan is the largest urban settlement in the Americas prior to Christopher Columbus.
The central area is divided into 9 large rectangular sections surrounded by earthen walls. These sections served as residential areas for royalty or noble families. Each section contains numerous temples, houses, gardens, and cemeteries arranged around plazas. The main crafts produced here included woodworking, textile production, and gold and silverwork.
Chan Chan faces two significant threats: ongoing looting that has occurred for centuries and natural erosion. Conservation efforts have been implemented for the murals and two palaces, but there is a need for systematic reinforcement of the structures. Chan Chan was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1986.