Túcume: Culture, Archaeology and Crafts

In Túcume, the Danza de los Diablicos, the patron saint festival and various craft techniques are among the local cultural highlights. The Túcume archaeological complex is also nearby. For planning your trip, festival dates, workshop offerings and information about tours and routes are practical reference points.

Festival Days and the Danza de los Diablicos

The Danza de los Diablicos de Túcume was declared part of the Nation’s Cultural Heritage on March 25, 2013. It is associated with the Virgen Purísima Concepción de Túcume, whom local residents also call “La serranita.” The performance on the central day of the patron saint festival focuses on the triumph of good over evil; various Diablicos portray the seven deadly sins. Check the exact details of the performance with local organizers.

The Festividad Patronal de la Virgen Purísima Concepción is celebrated in Túcume twice a year: on February 20 and August 20. If one of these festivals is a key factor in your trip, check the dates locally before you leave. The festival’s connection with the Danza offers a specific cultural point of reference; this does not mean that the dance is part of the program on every individual festival date.

Archaeological Complex and Museum

The nearby Complejo Arqueológico Túcume is also known as the Pirámides de Túcume, Cerro La Raya and Cerro Purgatorio. Its features include Huaca Larga, Huaca I, the Templo de la Piedra Sagrada, Huaca Las Estacas and the Plaza Central. The complex is one kilometer east of Túcume. From the main park, a two-kilometer paved route leads there on foot; the walk takes approximately 20 minutes. The distance and time refer to this route from the main park.

The Museo de Sitio de Túcume preserves and displays more than 1,500 archaeological objects found during excavations at the complex. The collection includes pieces from the Lambayeque, Chimú and Inca cultures, as well as from the colonial period. The museum offers three official tour options: Norte, Sur and Integral. If you plan to take a particular tour, confirm its current availability before your visit.

Diablicos and Weaving

The Taller Diablico de Túcume makes Diablicos cloaks, masks and miniatures. It also offers dance workshops for local students and visitors. Current booking details for visitors are not provided; ask about them if you would like to take part in a workshop. This offers a way to explore the dance tradition not only through festival performances, but also through its handcrafted objects and workshops.

The Taller Artesanal Valle de las Pirámides is on Calle Unión, between the streets of Unión and Incas, two blocks from the main park. Demonstrations of backstrap loom weaving with native cotton are offered there. Another opportunity to learn about this technique is at the Taller Artesanal de Susana Bances in the hamlet of La Raya, in the buffer zone of the Túcume archaeological complex. Visitors are welcomed there to see how native cotton is woven on a backstrap loom. Confirm the details of the demonstrations in advance.

Church by the Main Park

The church of Túcume stands opposite the main park. It was built in 1836. Its walls were taken down in 1930 because they were at risk of collapsing; the church was then rebuilt on the same property. Its building history therefore comprises two clearly distinct phases: construction in the 19th century and rebuilding on the original site after the walls were taken down.

The façade features a round-arched central nave and two side towers. Its architecture combines Baroque, Churrigueresque and Neoclassical elements; there is also a sculpture of Saint Peter at the entrance. The church and the main park are opposite landmarks in the townscape. The main park is also the starting point for the route to the archaeological complex described above, linking the historic architecture and walking directions to the same point of reference.

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