The Chancay Castle is one of the tourist attractions near Metropolitan Lima that began receiving visitors in July, with a capacity of 50% of its capacity, after being closed due to the COVID-19 quarantine. Those who arrive at this interesting destination in Huaral must comply with all biosafety protocols, so that they can enjoy an experience that will transport them through different places and cultures.
Currently, people can not only visit the museums that are inside the castle, they also have the opportunity to take outdoor tours and visit the cultural theme park, where there are replicas of tourist attractions from countries such as Egypt, Thailand, India, Italy, Mexico, Greece, among others. There are even stagings, so that visitors feel as if they were in those places.
When entering the castle, one imagines traveling to the Middle Ages, appreciating the costumes of the time that make the public feel that they are part of the monarchy, warriors or guardians of the fortress.
When entering the castle, one imagines traveling to the Middle Ages, appreciating the costumes of the time that make the public feel that they are part of the monarchy, warriors or guardians of the fortress.
A fun that is complemented by the good seasoning, because in the Castle of Chancay they prepare dishes such as pork on a stick, carapulcra, duck a la huaralina, pork in a Chinese box, as well as a wide variety of homemade delicacies. based on fish, shellfish and other ingredients.
Remember that this attraction is open every day, from 09:00 a.m. until 06:00 p.m., and those who wish to prolong this experience can stay in the castle, where they will be treated like kings and queens.
The castle of Chancay
Chancay Castle is a medieval-style theme park that offers visitors entertainment but also culture and incredible landscapes facing the sea.
Throughout its history, the castle of Chancay has gone through 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 her death, the castle remained unfinished and abandoned for more than thirty years. In the second half of the 20th century, Juan Barreto Boggio, grandson of Consuelo Amat, finished its construction based on the plans made decades ago. Today it stands out for its medieval infrastructure over approximately 15 thousand square meters.
In addition to the tour of its three levels, ten halls, museums and others; the castle offers shows of music, dance and even restaurants and hotels of good level. It is an entertainment option for adults and children.
One of the most visited places in the castle is the replica of the bow of the Peruvian frigate 'Independencia', which participated in the War of the Pacific. This replica looks towards the sea, the place where the Chilean ship 'La covadonga' sank during that conflict in 1880.
Likewise, the castle offers themed sites with very famous tourist places such as the Inca citadel of Machu Picchu, the Greek park, the Taj Mahal, Mount Rushmore and more.
Throughout its more than thirty years of tourist operation, the castle of Chancay has received numerous distinctions such as: 'Tourist Resource of Peru', 'Ambassador of the Peru Brand', 'Cultural Center of Peru', among others.
Where is it?
The castle of Chancay is located 73 kilometers by highway north from the city of Lima. It belongs to the city of Chancay, in the province of Huaral, department of Lima.
Its exact address is: Avenida Primero de Mayo Nº 1224, Chancay – Lima (in front of the sea).
History
The history of the Chancay castle dates back to colonial times. Who planned the construction of such a work was Consuelo Amat and León Rolando, the granddaughter of the famous viceroy Manuel Amat and 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 Doña 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 herself was in charge of making the plans.
The construction of the first castle of Chancay took 10 years (from 1924 to 1935). Under the Spanish medieval style, its four levels had terraces, viewpoints, towers, stairways, passageways and 250 rooms.
Due to economic shortcomings, 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 concluded.
The castle of Chancay is known as the 'Big door 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.
What do we find in the Castle of Chancay?
The entrance to the castle costs S/.25 soles for adults and S/.12 for children. The cost of admission also includes the guided tour (every 30 minutes) and admission only with the guide to the museums and restricted areas such as: the memory room (residence of Doña Consuelo de Amat), the archaeological museum, the hall of mirrors and to the animal museum that has a great variety of dissected specimens from all over the world.
In the free access area we find a representation of the bow of the Peruvian frigate Independencia, this is actually a viewpoint where you can see in the distance the buoy where the Chilean schooner Covadonga sank during the war with Chile (year 1880) . In itself, the entire castle would become a great viewpoint because it was built on a rocky cliff that overlooks the sea, revealing all the beauty of the coastline. We also have several themed areas to take photos where we find the Greek park, Machu Picchu, Taj Mahal, Mount Rushmore, ancient Egypt, among many others.
The castle has become a conglomerate of restaurants for all tastes, these have been built in medieval style and distributed around the square that overlooks the castle, which produces the sensation of entering a city of that time. Even the façade of the castle has been remodeled to have the appearance of a construction made of stone which gives it an ancient look. It can be seen that the entire complex continues to be remodeled and is expanding, they have combined these medieval constructions with others of Greco-Roman style such as the museum, the entrance to the hotel, among others.
Entertainment and Adventure; Art and Culture
They place special emphasis and dedication on designing and permanently renewing our entertainment, culture and performing arts proposal, always thinking of all visitors and guests, both adults and children; families and couples; domestic and foreign. In other words, they want all our visitors to live the adventure of a true multisensory experience.
Live music and dance, themed stories for children and for the whole family, themed magic during the day for visitors and at night for guests; medieval themed shows, falconry and contests with the public; animation and playful entertainment throughout the day. Artistic and decorative scenes of the most important civilizations in the world, works of art and replicas of the different cultures of the world, biological, regional and historical museums. Swimming pools and aquatic entertainment in the summer season, regional and thematic gastronomy; themed hotels facing the sea and the production of our own wines and pisco.
They seek that each thematic space, work of art, stage, show, service and product that we offer, reflects their love for the artistic and cultural manifestations of man through history and his great civilizations.
Diffusers of Culture, Heritage and Identity
Offer all visitors a set of museums and cultural circuits, where they can discover thematic spaces of the main civilizations of the world and cultural manifestations of the region, led by a team of guides specialized in the matter.
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Chancay Culture Museum
The most important private museum collection of the Chancay culture, duly registered with the Ministry of Culture.
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Natural History Museum
The largest collection in the country, with stuffed animals using the taxidermy technique.
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Hall of Memories
In this room the family's antiques are exhibited, among them some of the furniture designed by the founder "Doña Consuelo Amat y León", which she built and lived in "El Castillo" from the beginning.
How much does the entrance to the Chancay Castle cost?
Tickets have the following prices:
- Adults: S/ 25.00
- Children (3 to 10 years old): S/10.00
What days is Chancay Castle open?
The Chancay Castle is open from Monday to Sunday. From 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Who is the owner of the Chancay Castle?
The owner of the Chancay Castle is Juan Barreto Boggio
How to get to Chancay Castle from Lima?
You have to go through the Panamericana Norte, through the Pasamayo variant where access for small cars is allowed, at this point you will pay 8 soles for the toll, when you reach Km 78 you will have to go to Av Luis Felipe del Solar, finally you have to go through Av Primero de Mayo where you will arrive at the Castle, the travel time is 1 hour and 30 minutes.
Other services of the castle of Chancay
- Hotel – The castle of Chancay has two hotels (Hotel Madre Perla and Hotel Camelot) with rooms facing the sea with all the necessary amenities to spend the night. The hotel offers night shows in the castle for the people who stay. Some areas of the hotel have furniture from the beginning of the 20th century. Prices vary from 180 Peruvian soles to 350 Peruvian soles per room.
- Shows – The castle of Chancay offers music and dance shows for the public. The shows are given throughout the day, from 9 in the morning until 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 tasting of Peruvian wines. 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.
Other nearby tourist attractions
- Caral – The archaeological site of Caral was a citadel 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 highway 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 surrounding 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 up there. The entrance ticket has a cost of 10 Peruvian soles for adults.
More information
Just 1.5 kilometers from the castle of Chancay, 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 between the armies of Peru and Chile.
The castle museums exhibit pieces from the so-called 'Chancay culture' developed between 1200 A.D. and the 1470 A.D. 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 cost approximately 100 Peruvian soles per person.
Best Tours in Peru
Many are the routes that take you to Machu Picchu, but none is like the Inca Trail Tours, the most famous pedestrian path in the Americas. After flying from the capital of Perú, Lima, you will arrive in Cusco to walk for four days along a path through forests and dense fog, millenary stone steps and discovering the ruins of ancient fortifications and Inca cities, and all the time enjoying majestic views.
- Honeymoon in Machu Picchu
- Sacred Valley Tours
- Lares Trek to Machu Picchu 4 Days
- Short 2 Day Inca Trail Hike to Machu Picchu
- 2 Day Inca Trail with Camping
- 5 Days Salkantay Mountain Trek
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