Trujillo, Peru

Infobox City
official_name = Trujillo
other_name =
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nickname = La Ciudad de la Eterna Primavera
(The City of Eternal Spring)
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flag_size = 100px
image_shield = Escudo_trujillo.pngshield_size = 75px
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mapsize = 150px
map_caption = Location in Peru
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subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = PER
subdivision_type1 = Region
subdivision_name1 = La Libertad
subdivision_type2 = Province
subdivision_name2 = Trujillo Province
subdivision_type3 =
subdivision_name3 =
subdivision_type4 =
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government_type = Democracy
leader_title = Actual Mayor
leader_name = César Acuña Peralta
established_title = Founded
established_date = 6 December 1534
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area_total_km2 = 1768.65
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population_metro = 811,979 inhabitants (census 2007 [http://censos.inei.gob.pe/censos2007/documentos/ResultadoCPV2007.pdf] )
population_density_metro_km2 = 462.63
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timezone = PET
utc_offset = -5
timezone_DST = PET
utc_offset_DST = -5
latd = 8
latm = 6
lats = 43.2
latNS = S
longd = 79
longm = 1
longs = 43.68
longEW = W
elevation_footnotes =
elevation_m = 34
elevation_ft =
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area_code = 44
website = [http://www.munitrujillo.gob.pe www.muntrujillo.gob.pe]
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Trujillo, in northwestern Peru, is the capital of the La Libertad Region, and the third largest city in Peru. The city has 811,979 inhabitants and is an economic hub in northern Peru [ [http://www.citypopulation.de/Peru-Trujillo.html Peru - Trujillo Agglomeration] ] . The city is located at the banks of the Moche River, near its mouth on the Pacific Ocean.

History

Trujillo was one of the first cities founded by Spanish conquerors in America. On December 6 1534, Diego de Almagro founded the city under the name of "Villa Trujillo," in honour of Francisco Pizarro's birthplace, Trujillo in Extremadura, Spain. On 23 November 1537, King Charles I of Spain gave it the rank of 'city' and the coat of arms that remains a symbol for the city.

The city played a significant role in the struggle against a complete Spanish rule. It declared its independence in 1820, served as temporary capital of Peru in 1825, and was the main headquarters for Simon Bolívar.

Climate

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

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

Population

According to the Peru 2007 Census, Trujillo has 682,834 inhabitants, 2.9% of the total population of Peru and the 49.69% of the La Libertad region. Trujillo is the third most populous and largest city of Peru.

Economy

Trujillo is the most important economic center of northern Peru and an inland commercial and transport center for the surrounding farming areas. In 1800, the city of Trujillo greatly expanded due to extensive irrigated agriculture, fueled primarily by the sugarcane industry. Today asparagus, rice and shoes are the area's main products. 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 currently the world’s leading asparagus exporter, followed by China and Mexico - [http://www.fas.usda.gov/htp/Hort_Circular/2005/08-05/Asparagus%20article.pdf]

Tourism

Tourism is also a major industry in Trujillo due to the city's proximity to important sites where the Moche and Chimu civilizations evolved. These civilzations are well known artisans, many artifacts having been found during archaeological digs in the city. Nearby ruins include the Chimu mud city of Chan Chan,which is the world's largest city built out of adobe Chan-chan, also known as "Ciudad de la Luna" (City of the Moon) or "de las Largas Murallas" (of the Long Walls), 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 those cultures and its historical colonial city centre whose old houses attract many visitors. The old mansions and manors of Trujillo are distinguished for their solemn and austere facades. Inside, their impressive halls are overflowing with ornaments. Trujillo's window railings are a truly unique feature of the mansions. The House of Ganoza-Chopitea or "casa Ganoza" with a polychromatic front in the baroque style, crowned by a rococo frontispiece and two lions, is the city's most representative example of Trujillano mansion architecture. Another one is the House of Mayorazgo, as old as the city itself, and holding one of Peru's greatest numismatic collections. In addition, 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 portuary towns of Salaverry and Chicama (Puerto Malabrigo) are used for maritime connection with the world.

Education

There are plenty of higher education institutions. Trujillo is home to the majority of the universities and vocational institutes in northern Peru. The most recognized universities are the Universidad Nacional de Trujillo, which was created in May 10, 1824 by Simon Bolivar. Other well-known universities are Universidad Privada Antenor Orrego, Universidad Privada Cesar Vallejo , Universidad Privada del Norte, Universidad Católica de Trujillo and Universidad Privada de Trujillo.

References

External links

* [http://www.huacas.com/ Information on Huaca de la luna and Huaca del sol]
* [http://www.huacadelaluna.org.pe Huacas del Sol y de la Luna Archaeological Complex official site]
* [http://www.xanga.com/ElBrujoPeru Information on El Brujo Archaeological Complex]
* [http://whc.unesco.org/pg.cfm?cid=31&id_site=366 Chan Chan World Heritage Site]
* [http://www.chanchan.gob.pe Chan Chan conservation project]
* [http://groups.msn.com/TrujilloPeru/colonialtrujillo.msnw?Page=1 Colonial Trujillo photos]