Rainbow reliefs
Wavy arches.
Veronique Debord — CC BY-SA 2.0 · Ozesama — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Thayne Tuason — CC BY 4.0 · fabulousfabs — CC BY 2.0
A small mud temple built by the Chimú, the people of Chan Chan, standing today amid Trujillo's northern neighbourhoods behind a protective wall. It is also known as the «Dragon Temple», as its walls carry raised reliefs of wavy arches like a rainbow, with coiled creatures beneath them that people took for dragons. It is one of the best-preserved Chimú buildings, its clay reliefs still clear in their detail despite centuries of wind and sand. It has two platforms: a wide ramp leads up to the first, then a smaller one to the second, where pits were probably used to store food. You can walk all round the outer wall to see the reliefs up close, then climb to the top to see the temple's layout from above. It is a small, quiet place that needs no more than an hour. The Chan Chan ticket covers entry, per visitor guides, so keep it. It is usually visited on the way as part of a Chan Chan tour, since it is far from the main site and cannot be reached on foot from it.
Wavy arches.
Ramps to the top.
Clear detail.
La Esperanza district, north Trujillo, about 4 km from the centre
Usually not: per visitor guides the Chan Chan ticket covers it. It is normally visited by car on a Chan Chan tour, as it is far from the main site.