4/11/2009 21:00
Today I was sightseeing in Trujillo. First I want and saw the main palace and the dragon temple in the ruins of the city of Chan Chan which was a culture which was the last major culture before the Incas in the north of Peru. The city of Chan Chan was built from the 11th to the 15th century AC before it was conquered by the Incas and lost importance. However it was still a major city when the Spanish conquistadores arrived about a century later and Pizaro therefore founded the modern city of Trujillo as a colony on its outskirts. In its prime the city covered 20-24 sq. km and housed 50.000 people and the ruins still cover an area of 14 sq. km but they are badly eroded since they were only built of mud bricks.
In the afternoon I went to see the Huancas Del Moche which were the centre of the Moche culture around 400-600 AD these are the two most impressive pyramids on the Peruvian coast. The Huaca del sol was the biggest, but the worst preserved and is closed for visitors. It was originally the centre of the government. The Huaca Del Luna was the religious centre and is smaller but since 1991 excavations have shown that it was covered with fantastic frescos with many different motives in different layers which were added over the centuries. It was also a place of human sacrifice. 70 skeletons were found in the holiest centre and many of the frescos also contain references to human sacrifices.
Tomorrow I take a day trip north to see the most important remains of the Chimu culture which flourished in the time between the Moche culture and the Chan Chan culture and Thursday I have booked surfing lessons before I turn my journey south Thursday night or Friday Morning when I go to Huaraz to do some trekking.