Chiclayo General Information
Chiclayo is a part of Peru where the tropical sun, desert oases and the fresh sea breeze come together. Legend has it that the god Naylamp sailed here together with a vast retinue thousands of years ago to found his empire. In fact, many ancient civilizations saw the strategic advantage of controlling this region, which today is a major business hub in northern Peru, where routes come together from the coast, highlands and jungle. Chiclayo is the capital of the department of Lambayeque, which gave rise to the Mochica culture from 0-600 AD. Near the town of Sipán, 35 km from Chiclayo, lies Huaca Rajada, a complex where archaeologists discovered the tomb of the Lord of Sipán, a high-ranking leader whose body was accompanied by gold relics and jewelry. The treasure trove is on exhibition at the Brüning National Archaeological Museum, where the Gold Room houses one of the finest collections of gold relics in the Americas. Another major complex is that of Túcume, also known as the Valley of the Pyramids, as there are 26 of them.
Visitors can take in archaeological sites and the natural landscape, as well as experiencing folk healing and a culture interchange in general, thanks to the active participation of the community in the preservation of their natural and cultural heritage. Chiclayo also boasts some of the finest cooking to be had in northern Peru, serving up dishes such as arroz con pato (duck served with rice) and the local variation of cebiche (raw fish marinated in lemon juice). The city celebrates the festival of Santísima Cruz de Chalpón in February, which falls in summer in the Southern Hemisphere. This is a good time to visit nearby Pimentel, a modern beach resort which provides opportunities for water sports such as surfing. One can also watch how the local fishermen still breast the waves with the caballitos de totora, the reed rafts that have been used along the north coast for thousands of years.
Attractive Tourist
Cathedral of Chiclayo
Center of the city. Visiting hours: Mass time.
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, the building is formed by three naves and the highlight is the carved wooden image of Cristo Pobre (the Poor Christ).
Palacio Municipal de Chiclayo (Chiclayo City Hall)
Calle San Jose 823.
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.
Capilla de La Veronica (The Veronica Chapel)
Calle Torres Paz 294. Visiting hours: Mass time.
The temple originated as a rustic shelter or small chapel that probably offered masses for the dead and celebrated festivals for the saints of the communities of Cinto and Collique. The church, built in 1840, is constructed on a rectangular plane with twin bell towers and a small atrium. Its domed ceiling is held up by beams of plastered carob wood, and its upper panel and niches are covered in bronze leaves.
Plazuela Elias Aguirre (Elias Aguirre Square)
Located between Calle Elias and Calle San Jose (block 3).
It was constructed in 1924 in honor of Commander Elias Aguirre, Chiclayan hero in the Battle of Angamos and one of the fighters in the War of the Pacific (1879). The designer of this plaza was the Peruvian sculptor David Lozano.
Mercado Artesanal de Monsefú (Monsefu Craft Market)
14 km / 9 miles south of Chiclayo (15 minutes by bus).
Monsefu is known for its straw weaving – hats, baskets, purses, and saddle bags – as well as works of cotton and thread. It is also famous for embroidery with gold and silver threads. There, you can find delicate napkins, table cloths, blouses, skirts, ponchos, and embroidered cloaks.
Eten
22 km / 14 miles south of Chiclayo (25 minutes by bus).
This Third Eucharistic City of the World celebrates with intense religious fervor the Fair of the Divine Child of the Miracle, which comemorates his appearance in the Consecrated Host three times on 22nd July 1619. It is the artisanal capital of “macora” straw weaving and delicate embroidery. The beach of Eten is located 2 km / 1 miles from the city.
Saña
46 km / 29 miles southeast of Chiclayo (1 hour and 30 minutes by bus).
In Saña, you are able to see the remains of what once was the vice royal city founded in 1563. It is a ghost town, the origin of legends and stories such as the one that tells the invasion and sacking suffered inflicted bythe pirate Edward Davis in 1686. It was destroyed by the El Niño Phenomenon in 1720.
Today, it houses the remains of the San Agustín and San Francisco Convents as well as the porch of the Iglesia La Merced (Mercy Church). This is also the cradle of such Afro-American dances as the erotic “Golpe de Tierra” (Strike the Ground), the tondero, and the festejo.
Archeological Complex of the Huaca Rajada – Señor de Sipán (Lord of Sipan)
35 km / 22 miles southeast of Chiclayo (45 minutes by car).
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.).
Pimentel Beach Resort
11 km / 7 miles west of Chiclayo (15 minutes by car).
This modern beach resort is a good place to surf. You can also observe fishermen who still make use of the ancestral rafts, “caballitos de totora” (little horses of totora reeds), traditionally used on the north coast of Peru since the pre-Colombian era.
Chaparri Ecological Reserve
95 km / 59 miles southeast of Chiclayo (1 hour and 30 minutes by car).
Visits upon phone reservation – (074) 433194 – 452299
This area of 34.412 hectares belongs to the Muchik Santa Catalina de Chongoyape farming community. This is the first private conservation area in Peru. Its main objective is the preservation of the dry forests in the area and the rich biodiversity that it shelters. Also, it hopes to establish a mechanism that will allow for the sustainable use of its natural resources. Important endangered species found there are the spectacled bear, the guanaco, the white winged guan, and the Andean condor.
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