BRIEF HISTORY REVIEW
The city of Trujillo was founded in 1534 by Diego de Almagro as an express assigment ordered by Francisco Pizarro. He founded the city on the Moche River Valley to take advantage of the political prestige of its Caciques. Thus, the Chimor Valley has preserved its cultural hegemony, since the beginning of our era. Despite the Saint Valentine earthquake in 1619, the fertility of the valley and the determination of its people have contributed to its development. Nearby the city, its located the biggest Mud City in the World called Chan Chan, which belonged to the Chimu Culture (XII-XV Century ) The Incas, after finding great resistance, they conquered this kingdom in the XVI Century.
The valley is a rich artistic province and a Republican Viceroyalty. Due to the limitless cordiality of its people and its unceasing intellectual activity, Trujillo has not only become the "Respite of Travellers", but the "Cultural Capital of Peru". It is enough to mention: The International Spring Festival. The National Marinera Competition, The Caballos de Paso (typical Peruvian Pace Horse) Competition, the Totora Raft Exhibition, the Contemporary Art Biennial and the International Ballet Festival, among others.
PRINCIPAL ATTRACTIONS IN THE CITY
- THE CATHEDRAL OR THE BASILICA MENOR (1666). Rises on one corner of the Main Plaza. Its architecture is sober, but holds valuable choir seats. Baroque and Rococo styles, as well as sculptures and canvases exhibited in the Cathedral Museum.
- SAN FRANCISCO (1625). On the corner of Gamarra- Independencia. Holds a rich collection of retables, the most outstanding, being those located on the crosspiece due to their design, carved work, and gold and polychrome relief.
- LA MERCED (1636). Two svelte belfries decorated the superposition of architectonic orders that decorate its portal. It is located on the 5th block of Pizarro, and its main altarpiece proceeds from the Church of the Society. Outstanding are the polychrome embossments of the pendentive arch and the only Rococo style organ in the whole city.
- MONASTERIO DEL CARMEN (1725). Considered as the most important architectonic complex in the region. It stands on the corner of Colon and Bolivar. Its interior holds valuable retables, liturgical furnishings and canvases of the great value as well as images of high artistic quality. The main retable was created by the Master Fernando Collado de La Cruz, a color free man (1759).
-NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF TRUJILLO ARCHEOLOGICAL MUSEUM. Contains cultural expressions of Peru's diverse Pre-Hispanic epochs such as: ceramics, weavings, metal, etc. In addition, there is a special section dedicated to the citadel of Chan Chan.
- CASSINELLI ARCHEOLOGICAL MUSEUM. Holds highly valuable pieces from different cultures such as: Recuay, Chavin, Moche, etc, all unique in their class.
- GANOZA CHOPITEA HOUSE. The most representative relic in the city. It gathers sequential artistic richness from the XVII century to the present, integrating harmoniously each of the centuries respective elements. Its polychrome portal in Baroque style is crowned with a Rococo pediment and two lions. The ornament is completed with Mohammedan murals, Imperial style windows and a Neo-Colonial balcony, all of which offer a singular charm.
- BRACAMONTE HOME. Also called the Lizarzaburu home. Its façade displays an ample steel lattice wrought with refined artistic expression. The entrance hall and the extensive patios are signs of the opulence and high lifestyle of the epoch. The paneled ceilings, the svelte columns and Baroque paintings are all worthy of admiration.
SURROUNDINGS TO THE CITY
- CHAN CHAN. The nucleus of the Chimu culture (XII Century). It is considered the largest mud city in the world and the UNESCO has declared it a Cultural Patrimony of Humanity. In an area of 14 km2 are scattered palace remains, popular city districts, cultivation fields, cemeteries and all that was achieved by this culture extended on the North Peruvian coast. Lately there have been new discoveries.
- TEMPELS OF THE SUN AND THE MOON. These were the religious center of the Moche culture in the II to VIII centuries and they extended from Ancash to Piura. They are constructed out of adobe, forming superimposed platforms that reach a considerable height which allows them to dominate the valley. They are located left of the Moche River.
- EL BRUJO. Located an hour away from Trujillo near by to the town of Magdalena de Cao. This complex consists of three large buildings; the Huaca Prieta, the Huaca El Brujo and the Huaca de Cao Viejo. The best-known images are the polychrome friezes "The Prisoners" and "The Dancers".
- HUANCHACO BATHING RESORT. Located aprox. 12 kms. Northwest of the city. Since immemorial times, this bay was named Guaukocha which means "Beautiful Lagoon of Golden Fish". In the highest part of the resort sits a beautiful, ancient, Colonial church. It is the only fishing bay in all of the Peruvian coast that maintains still the tradition of the Totora rafts that were inherit by its ancestors. Nice place to have lunch.
- MOCHE VILLAGE. Located 15 kms. south of the city. Founded in 1535 and on December 13th, 1724, its church was built with Santa Lucia de Moche as its patron. Moche was a cultural center since the Stone Age, remains of this period were found in the High Chorobal south of Moche. Subsequently, here one finds the beginning of the Early of the Formative Horizon demonstrated by the Cupisniques whose remains can be appreciated in the Complexes of Dead Horse east of Laredo and those of Salinar and Viru that existed until the II Century A.C. The presence of the famous burial grounds of the Sun and the Moon in the Archeological Complex of Moche, indicates that this area not only continued to be intensely occupied by the natives, but that it was considered as the political and religious center of the Mochica Culture (II to IX A.C.).
- CABALLO MUERTO (DEAD HORSE). With an antiquity estimated at 1,000 B.C., these remains are located in the Laredo Cooperative. Out of its 8 mounds, the Huaca de Los Reyes (Burial Ground of the Kings) is the most significant, Its structure is that of superimposed platforms distributed in an U shape, with ceremonial patio in the center surrounded by polychrome heads of feline gods.
- SIMBAL VILLAGE. Welcoming small village of the Trujillo mountain area, 32 kms. Northeast of the city. On your journey, you will pass picturesque places such as: Cerro Blanco, Quirihuac, Menocucho and the hot Pedregal, arriving to Simbal. The Agrarian Cooperative of Production of Laredo is also in your path.
PAIJAN VILLAGE. Site of famous Caballos de Paso (Pace Horses) riding school, 65 kms. north of the city.
- MALABRIGO PORT. Better known as Chicama port, 70 kms. North of the city. Highly visited by tourist interested in surfing. Here one finds the longest waves in the world.
