The castle of Chancay

Chancay Castle is a medieval-style theme park that offers entertainment to visitors but also culture and incredible landscapes in front of the sea.

Throughout its history, Chancay Castle has undergone several modifications. Its first construction was carried out in 1923 at the initiative of Consuelo Amat y León (great-granddaughter of Viceroy Manuel de Amat y Juniet).

After his death, the castle was left unfinished and abandoned for more than thirty years. In the second half of the 20th century, Juan Barreto Boggio, Consuelo Amat’s grandson, completed its construction based on plans made decades ago. Today it stands out for its medieval infrastructure along approximately 15 thousand square meters.

In addition to the tourist route through its three levels, ten rooms, museums and others; the castle offers music and dance shows and even good restaurants and hotels. It is an entertainment option for adults and children.

One of the most visited places in the castle is the replica of the prow of the Peruvian frigate ‘Independencia’, which participated in the War of the Pacific. This replica looks out to sea, the place where the Chilean vessel ‘La covadonga’ sank during the conflict in 1880.

Likewise, the castle offers thematic sites with very famous tourist places such as the Inca citadel from Machu Picchu, the Greek park, the Taj Mahal, Mount Rushmore and more.

Throughout its more than thirty years of tourist operation, the Chancay castle has received numerous distinctions such as: ‘Peru Tourist Resource’, ‘Peru Brand Ambassador’, ‘Peru Cultural Center’, among others.

Where is it located?

Chancay Castle is located 73 kilometers by road north from the city of Lima. It belongs to the city of Chancay, in the province of Huaral, department of Lima.

His exact address is: Avenida Primero de mayo Nº 1224, Chancay – Lima (facing the sea).

How to get?

To visit the castle of Chancay you must follow these steps:

From any part of the city of Lima, you should go by bus or taxi to the land terminal of Lima Norte.
At the terminal you must board one of the public transport buses (Z bus, Turismo Barranca, Turismo San Martín, etc.). The trip takes 2 hours or a little more, depending on the traffic in the city of Lima. The price of the ticket is 10 to 15 Peruvian soles per person on average.
The corresponding whereabouts are the ‘entrance to Chancay’. Once there you must take a taxi service (5 soles approx.) Or mototaxi (2 soles approx.) To get to the castle of Chancay.
The return trip is the same as the outbound trip.

Map of the site

History

The history of the Chancay castle dates back to colonial times. The person who planned the construction of such a work was Consuelo Amat y León Rolando, the granddaughter of the famous viceroy Manuel Amat y Junet. History will remember the viceroy for his romance with the Peruvian Micaela Villegas, the ‘Perricholi’. But also for the construction of important works such as ‘The Real Felipe fortress’, ‘The bullring’, ‘El paseo de las aguas’ and more.

Viceroy Manuel Amat y Junet was married to Mrs. Josefa de León with whom he had a son Manuel Amat y León. This in turn married María Santos Corrales whose son Manuel Amat and León Corrales, in turn, gave life to Consuelo Amat and León Rolando.

Doña Consuelo was a refined woman from Lima who after the death of her husband Rómulo Boggio Klauer (mayor of Chancay). After traveling to Europe, she returned to Chancay where she had a castle built in honor of her deceased husband. She was in charge of making the plans herself.

The construction of the first castle in Chancay took 10 years (from 1924 to 1935). Under the Spanish medieval style, it had terraces, viewpoints, towers, stairways, passageways and 250 rooms on its four levels.

Due to financial shortages, the work remained unfinished for more than thirty years. In the second half of the 20th century, Don Juan Wiston Barreto Boggio, Doña Consuelo’s grandson, decided to finish the work to create a tourist center. Thus, at the end of the century the work as we know it today is completed.

Chancay castle is known as the ‘Big Gate of the Small North’. Its medieval architecture is the attraction of visitors, especially from the city of Lima. It also has a hotel, a restaurant, a bar and museums that show the history of the town. It is one of the most visited tourist attractions in Lima.

Museums in the castle of Chancay

The castle of Chancay offers a set of museum objects belonging to different civilizations of ancient Peru, especially those located in the northern region of Lima. It also has a collection of stuffed animals (with the taxidermy technique). Finally, it has a ‘Hall of Memories’ where objects from the 19th and early 20th centuries (furniture, paintings and personal items) belonging to the founders of the castle (the family of Doña Consuelo Amat y León) are exhibited.

The entrance to the museums of the castle of Chancay is included in the entrance ticket.

Other services of the Chancay castle

Hotel – Chancay Castle has two hotels (Hotel Madre Perla and Hotel Camelot) with rooms facing the sea with all the necessary comforts to spend the night. The hotel offers nightly shows in the castle for the people who stay. Some spaces in the hotel have furniture from the early twentieth century. Prices vary from 180 Peruvian soles to 350 Peruvian soles per room.

Shows – Chancay Castle offers music and dance shows for the whole public. The shows are given throughout the day, from 9 in the morning to 6 in the afternoon. They are recommended for the whole family, preferably for children.

Wine tasting – The tour of the castle also includes a small Peruvian wine tasting. It also offers sale of bottles of wine, pisco, mistelas and more. The products have a label marked with the symbol of the castle of Chancay.

How much does the visit cost?

These are the prices of the entrance to the Chancay casillo:

Adult: 25 Peruvian soles.
Children (from 3 to 10 years old): 12 Peruvian soles.
Children (from 0 to 3 years old): free admission.

Tickets include entrance to the castle with a tour guide. It also offers visits to museums as well as theme parks (Machu Picchu, Greek Park, Taj Mahal, Prague Towers, etc. There is free Wi-Fi throughout the place.

Other nearby tourist attractions

Caral – The archaeological site of Caral was a citadel with more than 3,000 years old, which is why it is known as the ‘Oldest Civilization in America’. It is located about 100 kilometers by road north from Chancay. It is one of the most important historical attractions in Lima. The entrance ticket costs 11 Peruvian soles for adults.

Lomas de Lachay – Just 25 kilometers further north of Chancay are these hills, one of the largest and greenest of those that surround the department of Lima. These landscapes are formed from June to October by the humidity of the sea water that rises in the form of mist there. The entrance ticket has a cost of 10 Peruvian soles for adults.

Photos of Chancay Castle

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More information

Just 1.5 kilometers from the Chancay castle, the ship La Covadonga is sunk 20 meters under the sea. The battle took place on September 13, 1880 during the War of the Pacific that faced the armies of Peru and Chile.

The castle museums exhibit pieces of the so-called ‘Chancay culture’ developed between 1200 AD and 1470 AD. In the museum there are ceramic pieces, textiles and even funerary dolls that are the attraction of the place.

The definitive staging of the castle took place in 2002 when several forgotten spaces of the castle were recovered. Since then, it has been one of the main tourist attractions in Lima. The 1-day tours from there have a cost of approximately 100 Peruvian soles per person.