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Chancay Castle: A Kingdom of Fantasy and History near Lima

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Chancay Castle: A Kingdom of Fantasy and History near Lima

The Chancay Castle is a beautiful and impressive building that has become a great place for relaxation and recreation, as well as a varied gastronomic point to enjoy with the whole family.

 

Chancay Castle is a medieval-themed park located in the north of Lima (in the city of Chancay). It was built in the 1920s under the initiative of Consuelo Amat y León, great-granddaughter of Viceroy Manuel de Amat y Juniet, who was also the wife of the mayor of Chancay Rómulo Boggio Klauer. The work stands out for its three levels, ten themed rooms with museums and a replica of a ship located on a cliff facing the sea.

 

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 Chancay castle 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).

 

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 North Lima land terminal.
  • 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 ticket price is 10 to 15 Peruvian soles per person on average.
  • The corresponding whereabouts is 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 journey is the same as the outward journey.

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 Chancay castle 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 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.

 

Museums in the castle of Chancay

The Chancay castle 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 (using the taxidermy technique). Finally, it has a 'Memory Room' 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 Chancay castle museums is included in the entrance ticket.

 

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.

How much does the visit cost?

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

  • Adult: 25 Peruvian soles.
  • Children (from 3 to 10 years old): 12 Peruvian soles.
  • Children (from 0 to 3 years): 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. Inside the whole place there is free Wi-Fi.

 

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 the animal museum that has a wide variety of dissected specimens from around 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.

 

Accommodation in the Castle of Chancay

The castle has a swimming pool and for those who wish to stay, it also has the Madre Perla hotel, an experience that can be enjoyed as a family with all the comforts of the case.

 

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 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.

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