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Guayabo National Monument Review

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Guayabo National Monument

Address: Drive through the center of Turrialba to a girdered bridge; take road northeast 16 km/10 mi (20 mins); take a left at the well-marked turn-off, continue another 3 km/2 mi on rough road to the monument. If you've taken the scenic Irazú foothills route to Turrialba and have a 4WD, the Santa Cruz route—11 km/7 mi (35 mins)—is an option. Turn left on rough road from Santa Cruz; climb 5 km/3 mi, past the Escuela de Guayabo; turn right at the sign for the monument; the road descends 6 km/4 mi to the site, Turrialba
Phone: 559-1220; 192 in Costa Rica

Category: Parks, Archaeological Sites
Location: Turrialba

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Fodor's Review:

On the slopes of Turrialba Volcano is Guayabo National Monument, Costa Rica's most significant archaeological site. It's interesting, but definitely no Chichén Itzá. Records mentioning the ruins go back to the mid-1800s, but systematic investigations didn't begin until 1968, when a local landowner out walking her dogs discovered what she thought was a tomb. A friend, archaeologist Carlos Piedra, began excavating the site and unearthed the base wall of a chief's house in what eventually turned out to be the ruins of a large community (around 10,000 inhabitants) covering 49 acres, 10 of which have been excavated. The city was abandoned in AD 1400, probably because of disease or war. A guided tour in Spanish takes you through the rain forest to a mirador (lookout) from which you can see the layout of the excavated circular buildings. Only the raised foundations survive, since the conical houses themselves were built of wood. As you descend into the ruins, notice the well-engineered surface and covered aqueducts leading to a trough of drinking water that still functions today. Next you'll pass the end of an 8-km (5-mi) paved walkway used to transport the massive building stones; the abstract patterns carved on the stones continue to baffle archaeologists, but some clearly depict jaguars, which were revered as deities. The hillside jungle is captivating, and the trip is further enhanced by bird-watching possibilities: 180 species have been recorded. If you arrive from the east via the Santa Teresita (Lajas) route, you can make it in any car; but via the alternative Santa Cruz route you'll need a four-wheel-drive vehicle to get here.

Cost: $4
Open: Daily 8-3:30

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