Chiclayo is the capital city of the Lambayeque region in northern Peru.

Currently, Chiclayo is one of the most important urban areas of Peru. It has grown to become the country’s fourth largest city after Lima, Arequipa, and Trujillo. The department of Lambayeque was home to the Mochican culture, which created some of the most ingenious monuments and works of art known to ancient Peru. In 1987, royal tombs of ancient Moche rulers were excavated. The artifacts found in the tomb were transferred to the Royal Tomb of Sipan Museum located in the city of Lambayeque. Also located in that city are the Brunning Museum and the Sicán Museum in Ferreñafe. These museums display the magnificent ancient artwork produced by the ancient Moche. There are more than twenty adobe pyramids all of which are 40 meters (131 feet) in height and are located in an abundance of vegetation and wildlife. The department of Lambayeque boasts some of the best cuisine in Peru. The most popular dish in this area is duck with rice.

Tourist interests

The Cathedral of the city of Chiclayo. This Neoclassical church dates back to 1869. The entrance has two doors and is flanked by Doric columns that stand in front of three arches. Inside, three naves form the building and the highlight is the carved wooden image of Cristo Pobre (the Poor Christ).

Palacio Municipal de Chiclayo (Chiclayo City Hall). It is a Republican building with wide windows and doors of forged iron. It was built in 1919, and the estimated cost was something around 30.000 pounds of gold.

Archaeological Complex of the Huaca Rajada – Señor de Sipán (Lord of Sipan). It is located at the borders of what once was the Pomalca plantation. There, in 1987, a tomb of a Mochican ruler, later named the Lord of Sipan, was discovered with intact vestiges. The findings allowed experts to learn about the burial rituals of a Mochican sovereign who was buried with a warrior, a priest, two women, a boy, a dog, a llama, and a guardian with both feet amputated. The burial paraphernalia included numerous items of gold and silver jewelry inlaid with turquoise and lapis lazuli. The pre-Inca construction, or huaca, is formed by a burial platform and two truncated adobe pyramids that also belonged to the Mochican culture (first – fourth centuries A.D.).

Museo Nacional Tumbas Reales de Sipán (Royal Tombs of Sipan National Museum). This modern architectural building houses the collection of archaeological objects of gold, silver, and copper found in the tomb of the Lord of Sipan. The archaeologist Watler Alva, manager and director of the project, who was also the discoverer of the tomb in the archaeological zone of the Huaca Rajada in the town of Sipan, direct the museum. Among the many important pieces are earrings, ceremonial scepters, medallions, a heavy circular gold ingot, nose rings, gold necklaces in the shape of peanuts, a gold chin and cheek mask, gold back flap, and gold disks worn around the neck.

Museo Arqueológico Nacional Bruning (Bruning National Archaeological Museum). Here, a collection of archaeological objects gathered by the German ethnographer Enrique Bruning is displayed. The four floors of the museum show ceramic, textile, stone and wood worked artifacts. Taken together, they demonstrate the vigorous artistic and technological character of the regional cultures of the past 5000 years. The “Sala de Oro” (Gold Room) of this museum is an exhibition of the priceless historic treasure of the pre-Colombian America.

Tucume Archeological Complex. According to the legend, it was built in the year 700 A.D. and was founded by Calac, descendent of Naymlap. Tucume, or Valle de las Pirámides (Valley of the Pyramids), is made up of twenty-six pyramids, the most impressive ones being the Huaca del Pueblo, La Raya, El Sol, and Las Estacas. Besides of archaeology richness, other programs are offered such as testing of the local cuisine, shamanistic experiences, traditional medicine, and cultural exchange. Tucume stands out for its level of community involvement in the preservation of its natural and cultural heritage.