Trujillo, Peru

Trujillo, in northwestern Peru, is the capital of the La Libertad Region, and the third largest city in Peru. The urban area has 811,979 inhabitants and is an economic hub in northern Peru. The city is located at the banks of the Moche River, near its mouth at the Pacific Ocean, in a valley of great cultural hegemony.

While it may be conceived as a single city, Trujillo is not a single administrative unit; rather, it is the core or center of a major metropolitan area that covers an area of 110,000 ha, and consists of 9 municipalities in the province, of which 5 are completely metropolitan area, while the remaining 4 are partially. The metropolitan area has a population of more than 804,000 inhabitants, the third most populous of Peru.

Founding dates for the city differ. One account credits the Spanish conquistador Diego de Almagro with founding it on December 6, 1534 and calling it Nova Castile Trujillo. The area had been inhabited for thousands of years by indigenous peoples. Its founding is also attributed to the Spanish explorer Francisco Pizarro on March 5, 1535, the date when it was established within the Viceroyalty of Peru.

For its role in the fight for independence, Trujillo was honored with the title "Meritorious City and Faithful to the Fatherland", The birthplace of Peru's judiciary, and it was twice designated as the capital of the country. It was the scene of the Revolution of Trujillo in 1932.

Trujillo is known as the "City of Eternal Spring", "National Marinera Capital" and "Culture Capital of Peru". It has sponsored numerous national and international cultural events, and has a lively arts community. Current festivals include the "National Marinera Contest", the "International Festival of Spring" and the "International Book Fair. which is one of the most important cultural events in the country.

Trujillo is close to two major archaeological sites of pre-Columbian monuments: Chan Chan, the largest adobe city in the ancient world, designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1986; and the temples of the Sun (the largest adobe pyramid in Peru) and Moon.

Climate

Trujillo has an extremely dry desert climate with an average temperature of 21°C (70°F). The summers can reach temperatures over 32°C (90°F) and the winters are never colder than 14°C (57°F). Most of the year, the temperature stays in the low to mid twenties.

This city is known as La Ciudad de la Eterna Primavera (The City of Eternal Spring), because of its sunny and pleasant weather year-round. The International Spring Festival in early October attracts visitors from all over Peru and the world.

Economy

In the 19th century, the city of Trujillo greatly expanded due to extensive irrigated agriculture, with high production and profits from the sugarcane industry. Today, asparagus, rice and shoes are the area's main products.

The irrigated lands of the Moche River Valley produce sugarcane, rice, and asparagus. Industries in the city include the sugar refineries, knitting mills, breweries and the shoe industry. Among the internationally known products of Trujillo, asparagus is exported to neighboring countries, Europe and the United States. The areas around Trujillo are among the largest exporters of white asparagus in the world. Peru is the world’s leading exporter of asparagus, followed by China and Mexico .

Trujillo is the most important economic center of northern Peru; it is an inland commercial and transport center for the surrounding farming areas. Its numerous shopping malls, supermarkets, department stores, and similar amenities make Trujillo a modern city.

Demographics

Trujillo is the third most populous city in Peru, with a population of over 800,000 in the metropolitan area as of 2007. The city has 49.69% of the population of La Libertad Region and 2.9% of the total of Peru.

During 2000's Trujillo , suffered a wave of crime, became the most dangerous city in Peru.

Tourism

Tourism is a major industry in Trujillo, due to the city's proximity to important sites where the Moche and Chimu civilizations evolved. These civilizations had highly skilled artisans, and many of their artifacts having been found during archaeological digs in the city. Nearby ruins include the Chimu adobe city of Chan Chan, the world's largest city built from that material. It is sometimes called Ciudad de la Luna (City of the Moon) because the people worshipped the moon; or de las Largas Murallas (of the Long Walls). In size and complexity, it has been compared with Teotihuacan in Mexico, and the ancient cities of Egypt. Other nearby ruins are the Moche ruins of Huaca del Sol, Huaca de la Luna, and El Brujo.

Trujillo aspires to be designated a World Heritage Site, because of the proximity of both cultures and its historical colonial city centre, whose historic casonas (mansions) attract many visitors. The mansions and manors of Trujillo are distinguished for their solemn and austere facades. Inside, their halls are overflowing with ornaments.

Trujillo's wrought-iron window railings are a unique feature of the mansions. The House of Ganoza-Chopitea (casa Ganoza) has a polychromatic front in the baroque style, crowned by a rococo frontispiece and two lions. It is the city's most representative example of casonas architecture. Another is the House of Mayorazgo, which was built in the early years of the city and holds one of Peru's greatest numismatic collections. The revolutionary leader Simón Bolívar lived in a house on the Plaza de Armas.

The world-famous beach Huanchaco, a surfing destination, is located just north of Trujillo.

Trujillo's restaurants offer a wide variety of local food, such as shambar, mostly served on Mondays; ceviche, sopa teologa and cabrito.

Transportation

The city is connected to all the main coastal cities by the Pan-American Highway. Important to the city's transportation network is the Cap. FAP Carlos Martínez de Pinillos International Airport.

The port towns of Salaverry and Chicama (Puerto Malabrigo) are used for maritime connection with the world.

Missions

Peru Mission is a missions/church-planting organization representing North American Reformed and Presbyterian denominations including the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA). The organization has planted or revitalized five churches in Trujillo, specifically in the historic center of Trujillo (Iglesia Presbiteriana "Cristo Rey"), as well as the districts of Wichanzao (Iglesia Presbiteriana Wichanzao), Manuel Arevalo (Arevalo Presbyterian Church), and Parque Industrial (Iglesia Presbiteriana "Redentor"). The Wichanzao Parish Medical Clinic, Sinergia Microfinance Bank, Parish Woodship, San Agustín Language Institute, and the Saint Augustin Society (university ministry) are other ministries of Peru Mission.

Education

There are many higher education institutions. Trujillo is home to the majority of the universities and vocational institutes in northern Peru. The most recognized universities are the National University of Trujillo, one of the most important universities in Perú, which was created on May 10, 1824 by Simon Bolivar.

Other well-known universities are Universidad Privada Antenor Orrego; Universidad Privada Cesar Vallejo; Universidad Alas Peruanas;Universidad Privada del Norte, which belongs to Laurete International University of Laureate Education Inc. being the second International University in Peru; the archdiocesan seminary; the Universidad Católica de Trujillo; and Universidad Privada de Trujillo.

Notable natives and residents

César Vallejo, poet, lived in Trujillo from 1910 to 1917.

Antenor Orrego, First peruvian political philosopher, lived in Trujillo from 1910 to 1940.

Víctor Raúl Haya de la Torre, political leader who founded the American Popular Revolutionary Alliance (APRA).1924.

Teofilo Tinoco Caballero, lawyer and professor, born in Trujillo, lived from 1917 to 1994.

Luis Banchero Rossi, chemical-industrial engineer(UNT,1950), He was the most important peruvian businessman in s.XX. He lived in

Trujillo from 1940 to 1955.

Milly Ahon, marinera dancer, she created original style in marinera dance. She was first marinera's queen in 1960. Now she is mayor

at Escuela de Folklore Jose Maria Arguedas in Lima.

Maria Julia Mantilla, Miss World 2004

Henry Ian Cusick, Emmy-nominated actor.

Teodoro Rivero Ayllón, writer and professor.

History

Trujillo was one of the first cities founded by Spanish conquerors in the Americas. On December 6, 1534, Diego de Almagro founded the city under the name of "Villa Trujillo," in honour of his leader Francisco Pizarro's birthplace, Trujillo in Extremadura, Spain. On 23 November 1537, King Charles I of Spain gave the town the rank of 'city' and the coat of arms that remains a symbol for the city. It was founded among four Chimù settlements: Huanchaco, Huamán, Moche & Mampuesto, to create an alliance against the Incas.

In 1619, an earthquake destroyed the city. Years later, in 1624, a new period of development began with the rebuilding of palaces. The Jesuits opened a seminary and school for education and the training of priests; they also served as missionaries to the indigenous peoples.

The city played a significant role in the struggle against Spanish rule. It was the first important city of Peru that proclaimed its independence of Spain in 1820, and it served as temporary capital of Peru in 1825. It was the headquarters of the revolutionary leader Simon Bolívar.

For a short period under Jose Bernardo de Tagle, Trujillo declared independence from the rest of Peru.