Built by the Chimu Empire approximately 1200 AD, the citadel of Chan Chan consisted of nine major sub-cities. Each built by a previous leader and at their height, housed more than 50,000 inhabitants. With a span of more than 45 square miles it was the largest pre-Columbian city in the Americas and the largest mud city in the world. It took more than 100 million adobe bricks and thousands of man hours to build this archaeological wonder. The temples and pyramids were adorned with plates of gold and from the palace gardens, plants and animals were made of precious metals. Even the citadel walls were beautifully painted with murals and relief decoration of animals, fish and gods of their cultural beliefs. Though the Chimu were expert in the craftsmanship of precious metals, they are also remembered for their rituals of the battlefield. It is said they would capture their enemies and place the head on a staft to show it as trophy for their victory at war as well as for all others to judge them by their strength. In the middle 1400's the Inca Indians arrived into the region bringing with them a change of leadership. Although the leaders of the Chimu were "escorted off to Cuzco" the structure of their confederation remained somewhat intact. Today, the influence of the Chimu still exists in the arts of the ancestors who live in this northern desert region.