Huaca del Sol

Huaca del Sol ("Temple of the Sun") is the largest adobe structure in the Americas, built by the Moche civilization (c. 100-700 AD) on Peru's north coast near Trujillo. Constructed from over 130 million adobe bricks through eight stages of construction completed by 450 AD, it originally stood about 50 meters high with a base of 340 by 160 meters. The stepped pyramid served as the administrative and military center of the Moche capital. Spanish colonists diverted the Moche River to flush gold from the structure, destroying approximately two-thirds of it. The remaining structure stands 41 meters tall.