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The elegant casonas, or mansions,
which line the streets of Trujillo stand as a testament to this city's
prosperous past. The warmth of its climate and its people makes this a wonderful
respite for travelers. |
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HISTORY
The Peruvian port of Salaverry
leads the way to Trujillo,
the nation’s second largest city, beautifully situated before the
Andean foothills. It was established in
1536, and became independent in
1820. Today much of its colonial charm is still retained in its old
churches, balconied homes and courtyards with overhanging flowering
baskets. In front of the cathedral is the Plaza de Armas, featuring a
sculpture of the liberation of Peru.
Several historic mansions are open to the public including the House of
Emancipation, where Peru’s
independence from Spain was claimed. The Archaeological museum offers a
fascinating display of ancient pottery. |
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Trujillo
City
The northern city of Trujillo, with
750,000 inhabitants, is Peru's third largest city. It is the capital of
the department La Libertad. Trujillo was founded in 1536 by Pizarro, and
it is an attractive city with a lot of colonial flavour. Special about
Trujillo are its different shades of blue, yellow and white, where many
historic buildings are painted in and which give the city a fresh,
spring-like flavour. Locals call it
the Capital de la Primavera Eterna, the capital of the eternal
spring, for the pleasant climate.
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Chan
Chan Archaelogical Site
The Chimu,
who preceded the Incas and were later conquered by them, built Chan Chan about
1300 A.D. At 28 square kilometers, it is the largest pre-Columbian city in the
Americas and the largest mud city in the world. At one time, Chan
Chan had over 60,000 inhabitants and was a very rich city with a vast wealth of
gold, silver, and ceramics. After the Incas conquered the Chimu, the city
remained untouched until the Spanish came. Within a few decades of the
conquistadors, most of the treasures of Chan Chan were gone, either taken by the
Spanish or by looters.
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Temples
to the Sun and Moon
Another interesting archaeological site to visit are the
Temples to the Sun and Moon (Huacas del Sol y de la Luna). The Mochicas built
them during the Moche period, over 700 years before the Chimu civilization and
Chan Chan. These two temples are pyramidal and about 500 meters apart. The Huaca
de la Luna has over 50 million adobe bricks, and the Huaca del Sol is the
largest mud structure on the continent. The desert climate has enabled these mud
structures to last in perfect condition for hundreds of years.
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ACTIVITY |
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Rewrite
the highlighted sentences in the SIMPLE PRESENT PERFECT. |
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