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Trujillo, Peru

City in La Libertad, Peru

  • 49 min read
  • 14 chapters
Freedom Monument, Trujillo, Peru
Bernard Gagnon · CC BY-SA 3.0

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Through Judiciary, Archaeology and UNESCO

The Independence of Trujillo from Spain was proclaimed in the Historic Centre of Trujillo on December 29, 1820, and the city was honored in 1822 by the Congress of the Republic of Peru with the title "Meritorious City and Faithful to the Fatherland", for its role in the fight for Peruvian independence. Trujillo is the birthplace of Peru's judiciary.

In 1823, Riva Agüero settled in Trujillo after being deposed, but his government lacked legal recognition, while the Congress in Lima continued to function and appointed Torre Tagle as the new president. In 1824, to facilitate the campaign for independence, Trujillo was declared the provisional capital of Peru by Bolívar. It was the scene of a military revolt in 1932. Trujillo is considered the "cradle of liberty and cradle of the judiciary in Peru".

Trujillo is also known as the "City of Everlasting Spring", is considered the "Capital of the Marinera", a traditional dance in Peru, "Cradle of the Peruvian Paso horse", as well as the "Capital of Culture of Peru". It has sponsored numerous national and international cultural events, and has a lively arts community. Current festivals include the "National Marinera Festival", the Trujillo Spring Festival and the International Book Festival, which is one of the most important cultural events in the country.

Trujillo is close to two major archeological sites of pre-Columbian monuments: Chan Chan, the largest adobe city in the ancient world, designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1986; and the temples of the Sun and Moon (the largest adobe pyramid in Peru).

The city center contains many examples of colonial and religious architecture, often incorporating distinctive wrought ironwork. It includes residential areas, a central business district, and industrial supply distribution to the various districts. The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Trujillo has its seat here. Roman Catholicism is the predominant religion and 10 colonial churches are located within the old city wall, now encircled by Avenida España; additional churches in the towns of Huamán, Huanchaco and Moche are located within 15 kilometres (9.3 miles) of Trujillo's centre.

Since 2011, the city has been developing the pilot project Trujillo: Sustainable City, as part of the platform "Emerging and Sustainable Cities of the Inter-American Development Bank", in cooperation with the IDB. In 2012 Trujillo was selected by IBM to participate in a "Smarter Cities Challenge" project intended to improve public safety and transportation through technology.

Identity

Capital of culture

Trujillo is considered the "Capital of Culture of Peru" for the prominent writers associated with the city such as Cesar Vallejo and Víctor Raúl Haya de la Torre, and because the city is a center for important cultural expressions as the marinera dance, Peruvian paso horses, caballitos de totora, Trujillo's gastronomy, etc. The North Group was formed here, with Eduardo González Viaña and Gerardo Chávez as successors. The city presents important national festivals, such as Marinera Festival, Spring Festival, and competitions for the paso horse and caballito de totora.

Symbols

Coat of arms

The coat of arms of the city was awarded on December 7, 1537, by Royal Decree issued by the King of Spain, Charles V. The shield consists of two columns rising from water, a king's crown on top surrounded by pearls and precious stones and two staffs that surround the letter K (for Karolus, royal cypher of the King); and on the back is a black griffin facing right and supporting the shield.

Flag

The flag is the coat of arms on a white background; it is carried during the official ceremonies of the Municipality of Trujillo in the main square of the city. Also it is flown every December 29 to commemorate the proclamation of independence of Trujillo in 1820.

Anthem

The anthem was written by Ramiro Mendoza Sánchez in 1974 with music composed by Ramiro Herrera Orbegoso in 1975. The melody and lyrics were subsequently brought together at the Municipal Theater, accompanied by the traditional Band of Musicians of the 32nd Infantry Brigade and the Polyphonic Choir of what was then the National Institute of Culture. The city municipality primarily promotes the anthem through official civic ceremonies held in the city, where it is performed by musical bands. The anthem expresses a greeting to and recognition of the city through a celebration of its history.

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