Quiriguá Archaeological Park
Parque Arqueológico Quiriguá
A UNESCO World Heritage Maya site with the tallest stelae in the Maya world and uniquely carved zoomorphic boulders.
Quiriguá was a Classic-period Maya city-state. In 738, its king K'ak' Tiliw Chan Yopaat captured and killed the king of his overlord city, Copán, and afterward large numbers of stelae were erected to commemorate the victory. The site was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1981. It is modest in size, but the stelae on its main plaza are impressive. Stela E stands about 10.6 meters tall and weighs about 65 tons, making it the largest known Maya stela. The giant zoomorphic boulders, carved with mythological imagery, are very fine. The site lies within a banana plantation and has a small museum. Admission for foreign visitors is about 80 quetzales (confirm on site). It is about 65 km southwest of Río Dulce town along the Atlantic Highway. Take a bus toward Guatemala City, get off at the junction and transfer to a tuk-tuk.
Opening hours
Approx. 08:00–16:30
Nearby sights
- Lake Izabal
- Finca El Paraíso Hot Waterfall
- Castillo de San Felipe de Lara
- Cañón El Boquerón
- Río Dulce Town (Fronteras) & Bridge
- El Golfete & Biotopo Chocón Machacas
- Río Tatín & Ak' Tenamit
- Río Dulce Canyon Boat Trip