Chan Chan was the capital of the Chimor, or Chimu, Empire and is the largest mud-brick settlement in the Americas.
The origins of the city date from the first millenium AD when the first large enclosure was built. By the time the Incas conquered the Chimu in 1470 AD, Chan Chan was the centre of an empire that covered 621 miles of Pacific coast.
The site is characterised by tall walls, some of which are 26 feet high, which enclose each of the 11 citadels. Each of the citadels have U-shared audencias, storerooms and wells.