Chan Chan, once the largest city in pre-Columbian America, was the capital of the Chimu Empire. This ancient city, located in the Moche Valley near the modern city of Trujillo in Peru, is an astonishing testament to the architectural and cultural prowess of its inhabitants. At its peak, Chan Chan is believed to have been home to over 40,000 people, and its impressive ruins continue to inspire awe in visitors today.
The Chimu Empire, which ruled over a vast territory spanning from Ecuador to central Peru, thrived from around 900 to 1470 A.D. Chan Chan, its capital, was built around 850 A.D. and was inhabited until the Inca Empire conquered the Chimu around 1470 A.D. Eventually, the city was abandoned, and its mud-brick structures began to erode.
