When you travel to Costa Rica’s Central Valley, you can be part of an ancient mystery. Guayabo National Monument is an archeological marvel that was discovered when the area was being cleared for coffee plantations in the late 1800’s. At its peak, around 10.000 people used to live in this ancient city. It is believed that the first settlers came to these parts around 1000 BC and had created a bustling city by 800 AD. As to why they disappeared, it is still not known.
The only remains of this once great city are circular mounds, cobblestoned pavements and evidence of highly refined aqueducts. These are only a few pieces of the puzzle, but they seem to point to a civilization that had reached some level of sophistication as city builders So, what made 10.000 people just disappear even before the Spanish settlers first came to shore? The short answer is, no one knows. There are a handful of theories including the plague or even volcanic activity. Today all that remains is an archaeological site that both intrigues and inspires.
You will soon notice that the Monumento Nacional Guayabo is a lot more than just archaeological hints of a once great civilization. There are also great discoveries to be made in the details. The tombs and petroglyphs were excavated by archaeologists in 1963 and show small insights into their rites and beliefs in both political and religious contexts. There are sculptures and artifacts with crude but beautiful animal carvings like Jaguar and alligators. Certain parts of the excavations can also be admired in the National Museum in San Jose.
The rain forest areas surrounding the ancient ruins are lush and fertile. There is an abundance of fauna and flora and if you are lucky, you might be able to spot some wildlife like coatis, toucans and armadillos amongst the dense foliage. If you lucky, you might even spot a sloth! Make sure you explore the monument with one of the guided tours so you can get the most out of your visit. You can also do the hike alone but you will only be provided with the basic information on the panels at every view and resting point.
Take advantage of the educational opportunities and also visit other nearby sites like the Guayabo butterfly farm.
When you are in the area, you should definitely pay a visit to Irazu, otherwise known as El Coloso. You can explore the trails and view the 4 craters at top including the gorgeous, green main crater and the Diego de la Hoya crater, named after the man who registered the volcano’s first eruption in 1723. This national park is close to the city of Cartago and very easy to reach from San Jose. On the way down, make sure to stop off at the Duran Sanatorium and explore Costa Rica’s most haunted ruins! The road leading there is often filled with queuing cars so if you can go by bus, consider doing so because then you can just walk to the entrance.
Are you interested in learning more about Costa Rica’s colorful past? Pay a visit to our Costa Rica history page!
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