Trujillo, full of fantastic manor houses and churches

Trujillo is one of the first cities the Europeans built in the Americas. Some very unique excavated areas also surround the city. Trujillo, Peru’s third-largest city, was the first to declare independence from Spain. Before the Europeans arrived, this was a site of the great prehistoric Moche and Chimu cultures before the Inca conquest and expansion. The city centre contains many examples of colonial and religious architecture, often incorporating distinctive wrought ironwork. Trujillo was the last city I visited before I ended my round trip to Peru in Lima.

The main square of Trujillo

Plaza de Armas is a large square divided into sections with grass, flowers, and walking paths. It has benches and a Freedom Monument in the centre, representing the country’s independence process, a perfect meeting point for the people in the evenings. Also, the city’s Cathedral dominates the square, with several mansions dating back to the Hispanic and republican periods. Cusco and Arequipa contrast very much with Trujillo’s choice of very colourful buildings, which is most evident around this square.

The Cathedral has a fantastic bright yellow colour, and many buildings stand out in colour and architecture around the square. The other exciting thing is the Moorish tradition they have brought from Spain, with the wooden balconies on the first floor. The wooden grilled blinds often aimed to hide the women from being seen from outside.

The colonial style

Even though Trujillo is the third largest city in Peru, the centre is relatively compact, and it is an attractive place to walk around and watch the countless examples of colonial architecture. This style is so different from anything we have in northern Europe. I enjoy the atmosphere here.

Huaca del Sol and Huaca de la Luna

Valle de Moche, eight kilometres south of Trujillo, is home to a fascinating pair of badly weathered but still imposing pyramids. They were constructed by the Moche culture around 500 AD. The Huaca de la Luna (Temple of the Moon) has five levels and is smaller than Huaca del Sol but better preserved and more attractive. The excavation has revealed some spectacular freezes on the adobe walls. The colours are still vibrant, and the colour designs are dramatic.

The Spanish attempt to plunder the pyramids is evident; however, they were only looking for gold, so they left behind all the pottery and small decorative art buried inside the pyramids. Because of this, you can find the most fantastic art effects in Museo Huacas de Moche.

Chan Chan

Chan Chan is five kilometres northwest of Trujillo and is considered one of Peru’s most important archaeological sites. It is the largest adobe city in the world and is on the UNESCO Heritage list. A vast city complex that was the centre of the Chimù culture. It rose to prominence during the 11th century, peaking in the 15th century before succumbing to the Incas around 1471.

What is very special about Chan Chan is that the palaces were built a little bit like the Forbidden City in Beijing, in the way that it had several walls before you came into the forbidden court, where only the rulers could be. When a ruler died, he was buried in his court, which was closed off. The successor built a similar court next door to the old citadel. Because of this, several courts are next to each other in this vast area.

The city consisted of 10 citadels, yet only four have been recovered. This means the city of Chan Chan had ten rulers. Chan Chan has many different types of buildings, many of which have been destroyed. Many buildings included temples, houses, reservoirs and even funeral platforms. Moreover, they had ocean-like designs, such as fish, birds, and waves. They build the building mainly in a rectangular or square shape through tight spaces. 

Trujillo was a city I was uncertain if I would visit because it was a long bus trip from Lima, but I do not regret that I made an effort. The fantastic city centre and the unique excavated areas were so interesting to discover. I thoroughly recommend a stay in Trujillo.