Chan Chan

Built around AD 1300 and covering 28 sq km (17 sq mi), Chan Chan is the largest pre-Columbian city in the Americas, and the world's largest adobe city. At the height of the Chimu Empire, it housed around 60,000 people, and contained a wealth of gold, silver and ceramics. The riches remained undisturbed after the Incas conquered the city, but once the Spaniards hit the stage the looting began. Within a few decades little but gold dust remained.

Remnants of what was found can be seen in museums. Although Chan Chan must have been a dazzling sight at one time, devastating El Niño floods and heavy rainfall have severely eroded its mud walls. Today, the most impressive aspect of the site is its sheer size; you'll need an active imagination to fill in the details. The Chimu capital consisted of nine major subcities, also called royal compounds. Each contained a royal burial mound filled with vast quantities of funerary offerings, including dozens of sacrificed young women and chambers full of ceramics, weavings and jewelry. The Tschudi complex, named after a Swiss naturalist, is the only section of Chan Chan that's partially restored. It's possible that other areas will open in the future, but until they are properly policed and signed, you run the risk of being mugged if you visit them.