Citadel of Gran Pajatén

This citadel is located at 2850 meters above sea level, on the right bank of the Montecristo River, and sits on the flanks of a narrow tableland. Most buildings at Gran Pajatén were constructed by the Chachapoyas culture (1200 to 1500 AD) but radiocarbon dating shows the site was occupied from 200 BC. Central buildings are decorated with slate mosaics featuring human, geometric and bird figures. The ruins are extremely fragile and most are still covered with vegetation, leading the Peruvian government to restrict visitors to those with a permit from the Institute of Culture.