Chan Chan

Considered the largest mud brick city in pre-Hispanic America, and the largest adobe city in the world, Chan Chan was the administrative and religious capital of the Chimu culture, whose civilization developed between the 9th and 15th Centuries. Its territory ranged from Tumbes in the north to Carabayllo (Lima) in the south, covering the entire north coast of Peru. Among its most famous leaders were Takaynamo, who founded the city, and the warrior Minchanzaman who took the civilization to its highest point in the 15th century. Within its walls (up to 60 feet high) it’s possible to distinguish plazas, living quarters, storerooms, workshops, streets, ramparts and temple pyramids. It became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1986.