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Diego de Almagro founded the
city of Trujillo in 1534 as an express assignment ordered
by Francisco Pizarro. He founded the city on the Moche
River Valley to tatake advantage of the political prestige
of its Caciques. Thus, the Chimor Valley has preserved
its cultural hegemony, since 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. 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 Travelers", 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.
Trujillo has a spring climate without marked extremes
of hot or cold. During the summer (December-March) the
mean temperate is 24 degrees Celsius. The rest of the
year is moderately temperate with sunny days.
ACCESS:
AERIAL.- The Carlos Martinez de Pinillos Airport is located
approximately 10.5kms. from the city of Trujillo via highway
toward the Huanchaco bathing resort. The Trujillo - Lima flight
is approximately 45 min. long.
TERRESTRIAL.- Via the Panamericana Highway. Trujillo is connected
to all the cities on the Peruvian coast, as well as all the
provinces of the La Libertad Department.
TOURIST ATTRACTIONS:
IN THE CITY: the Catholic
tradition has bequeathed beautiful Hispano-American artistic
testimonies, objects of constant admiration, to its temples.
The main ones are.
THE BASILICA (1647-1666).- Rises on one corner of the
Main Plaza .Its architecture is sober, but holds valuable
choir seats. Baroque and Rococo style retables, as well
as sculptures and canvases exhibited in the Cathedral
Museum.
MUSEUMS:
SAN FRANCISCO (1625).- On the corner of Ganarra-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 San Francisco
preached from the still - preserved Renaissance pulpit and
announced the earthquake of Saint Valentine that destroyed
the city (1410211619).
THE MERCED (1636).- Two svelte belfries decorate 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.
THE CARMEN (1725). - Considered as the most important architectonic
complex in the region. It stands on the comer of Colon and
Bolivar. Its interior holds valuable retables, liturgical
furnishings and can vases of great value as well as images
of high artistic quality The main retable was created by the
Master Fernando Collado de la Cruz, a black free man (1759).
NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF TRUJILLO ARCHAEOLOGICAL 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 ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM holds highly valuable pieces
from different cultures such as: Recuay, Chavin, Moche, Chimu,
etc. all unique in their class.
NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF TRUJILLO ZOOLOGICAL MUSEUM Exhibits
samples of the varied fauna of the region.
CATHEDRAL MUSEUM Next to the cathedral. Holds valuable sculptures,
canvases and an enigmatic crypt.
- CARMELITA PICTURE GALLERY Next to the Carmen Church; holds
beautiful canvases of excellent quality.
- MUSEUM OF THE REPUBLIC Located in the home of the Marshal
of Orbegoso and Moncada.
COLONIAL
HOMES
GANOZA CHOPITEA.- Independencia N630.
The most representative relic in the city. It gathers
sequentially artistic richness from the XV11 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.
MARSHAL OF ORBEGOSO.- Orbegoso Nº 553. The name
comes from the ex-President of Peru, General Luis Jose
de Orbegoso, the last Count of Olmos. Although it has
lost its rear court, the home preserves its viceregal
ancestry with an interior garden, stone floors, doors
and parlors set on an elevated terraplein. It holds
a high quality collection of furniture, silverware,
canvases and mirrors.FACALA FAMILY ESTATE.- Pizarro N'314. Its ancient proprietary
was Don Pedro de Tinoco, founder of the family estate.
Its exterior offers a splendid architecture unusual
in its height from which appear to hang ample windows
with artistic Republican style lattices. It holds furniture,
canvases, images, retables and silverware of the most
refined artistic taste.
ARANDA HOME.- Bolivar N' 621. Its beautiful, half-breed (mestizo)
Baroque portal is flanked by two Salomonic style columns and
crowned by a split pediment CORUD. Its main patio preserves
the culverts surrounding the wall openings, forming an awning
that reminds us, in its similarity, of the Angasmarca temple
in the province of Santiago de Chuco. Both of these were properties
of the well-to-do Don Martin de Aranda.
HOME OF THE EMANCIPATION.- Pizarro N'610. Here was sworn Independence
(29-XII-1920). The Royal Ensign of the epochof Don Tiburcio
Urquiaga was its proprietary until the XIX century. To this
century date back the entrance hall murals, work of an Indian
artist who put together the engravings of the Bishop Martinez
Compañon. When the home was restored in 1840, the neoclassic
style that it presently displays was imprinted. The architectonic
quality stands out due to the symmetry of its patios and the
harmonious distribution of its atmospheres, lattices, and
marble floors.
ITURREGUI PALACE.- Pizarro No 688. An exquisite neoclassical
two-plan mansion with an ample patio and rear court around
which are distributed rooms, a temple, a refectory, etc, all
showing the magnificence of their lattices, svelte columns,
marble floors and ceilings with golden moldings.
BRACAMONTE HOME.- Independiente No 441. Also called the Lizarzaburu
home. Its facade 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 panelled ceilings, the svelte columns and Baroque
paintings are all worthy of admiration.
CALONGE ROME.- Jiron Pizarro No 446. It is one of the few
Republican style homes that partially maintain the Baroque
division of its patio. It has preserved valuable works of
art such as PreHispanic ceramics. Refined furniture, mirrors
and paintings, as well as antique banners with the Spanish
and Trujillo coats of arms.
IN THE SURROUNDINGS
ARCHAEOLOGICAL MONUMENTS. Since the Pre-Columbian epoch,
this valley has concerned itself with cultural advancement.
Testimonies of its progress are the remains of:
CHAN CHAN.- The nucleus of the Chimu culture (XII century).
It is considered the largest mud city in the world and UNESCO
has declared it a Cultural Patrimony of Humanity. In an area
of 14 krn2 are scattered palace remains, popular city districts,
cultivation fields, cementeries and all that was achieved
by this culture extended on the North Peruvian coast.
DEAD HORSE (CABALLO MUERTO).- With an antiquity estimated
at 1,000 B.C., these remains are located in the Laredo Cooperative.
Out of its 8 mounds, the Burial Ground of the Kings (Huaca
de los Reyes) is the most significant Its structure is that
of superimposed platforms distributed in an U shape, with
ceremonial patio in the center surrounded by polycrome heads
of feline gods
TEMPLES OF THE SUN AND THE MOONS- These were the religious
center of the Moche culture in the II-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.
SITES OF INTEREST TO TOURISTS
HUANCHACO BATHING RESORTS.-
Located approximately 12 Kms, northwest of the city. Since
inmemorable 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. The Virgin of Succor, put ashore the
2nd of January, 1537 under King Charles V's commands,
is venerated here. Dean Saavedra, a miraculous saint whose
body has been maintained intact in an urn since 1707,
is also venerated. It is the only ing fishing bay in all
of the Peruvian North that maintains still standing thee
totora rafts that were inherited by its ancestors.
MOCHE VILLAGE.- Located 15 kms. south of the city. Founded
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 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.D. The presence of the famous burial
grounds of the Sun and The Moon in the Archaeological
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 MAD.).
SIMBAL VILLAGE.- Welcoming
small village the Trujillo mountain area, 3-9 kms. northeast
of the city. On our journey, we pass picturesque places
such as: Cerro Blanco, Quirihuac. Menocucho and the
hot Pedregal, to then arrive at Simbal. The Agrarian
Cooperative of Production of Laredo is also in our 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 tourists interested in surfing.
Here one finds the longest waves in the world.
ARTISANSHIP Known for the beauty
of its: carved work in wood, leather repousse work, mud and
clay moldings, printed and engraved gourds. Trujillian wire
windows, gold and silver work, engravings of representative
customs, totora rafts, straw hats, etc.
FOLKLORE
The Marinera dance, which stands, outs and has given Trujillo
the title of "The Marinera Capital", is a lively,
festive dance which ends every party.
The Huayno, typical of this mountainous region, is a joyful,
competitive dance between the man and the woman. Also typical
of this region are a diversity of native dances such as: The
Negritos, The Huanquilla. The Mojigangas, The Turcos, The
Huaris, The Huananayes, etc.
TYPICAL DISHES:
A wide variety of traditional medleys including: seco de
cabrito a cabrito de leche (baby goat dishes), causa en lapa
(vegetable and yellow potato dish), ajiaco (hot potato stew),
cuy con maní (guinea pig with peanuts), shambar, theologian
soup, duck with rice, Trujillan sangrecita, cebiche, steamed
and hot dishes; as well as the delicious king-kong, alfajor
machacado de membrillo and the exquisite chicha de jora (fermented
maize beverage). |
