Chan Chan was the capital city of Chimú empire
The capital stretched for nearly a thousand kilometres along the coastline.
Chan Chan is one of 12 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Peru
This recognizes the cultural importance of Chan Chan, the largest adobe brick city on earth when it peaked in 1400 AD.
It was the largest adobe city in pre-Columbian America
The city planning reflects a strict political and social strategy, marked by the city's division into nine 'citadels' or 'palaces' forming autonomous units.
The Chimu civilization transformed their surroundings
The Chimu civilization addressed changes in climate and sporadic access to fresh water in their desert coastal city through transforming their surroundings
The city is at risk of washing away
Site managers today face challenges preserving these places with more extreme and frequent changes in rainfall and droughts due to El Niño events and climate change that threaten to gradually wash the ancient city away.
It is important to document and preserve the city
Site managers are working to document the site in order to better understand the challenges it faces from climate change and to conserve it for future generations.
Discover more
Why Is It Important to Raise Awareness of Climate Change in Chan Chan?
Heritage on the Edge
Chan Chan, Peru
Discover how CyArk uses 3D documentation to empower local experts.
Find out more about ICOMOS' efforts to increase engagement of cultural heritage in climate action here.
Milagros Flores, ICOMOS and President, ICOMOS International Scientific Committee on Fortifications and Military Heritage.
CyArk
