Chavín de Huantar

The 3,000 year old Chavín ruins of Chavín de Huantar are a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site. This was once the capital of the Chavín culture.

Carvings of pumas and priests surround the plaza. Stairs lead from the plaza to the stone temple, known as the Castillo. The main attraction at Chavín de Huantar are the underground chambers beneath the main temple. One central area down here, where the chambers meet, houses an important stone carving called the Lanzón. It is a mythic creature that looks like something from a nightmare. Two other important finds at this site, known as the Estela Raymondi and the Tello Obelisk, were moved to the Museo Archeológico in Lima.

There is a site museum, Museo Archeológico