Quirigua Travel Guide
Travel to Quirigua - Mayan City and UNESCO World Heritage Site
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A UNESCO World Heritage site, Quirigua was once an important Mayan city and is now an archaeological site with impressive Mayan stelae - tall, carved standing stones. Noteworthy for several other reasons, the site has additional magnificently-carved standing stones and is one of the few places which features “full-figured glyphs”, an intricate form of Mayan writing into stone and “zoomorphs”, which are great stones carved into animal shapes.
The Mayan empire was a collection of city-states which peaked around 600-800 A.D. Quirigua, inhabited since the 2nd century A.D., became the capital of an autonomous and prosperous state during the reign of Cauac Sky (723–84). The ruins of Quirigua contain some outstanding 8th-century monuments and an impressive series of carved stelae of which the largest, stela E, was thought to have been completed in 771 A.D. The site has become an essential source for the study of Mayan civilization. The reason for its demise is unknown but theories include warfare among the various Mayan city-states, natural disasters and disease.
Attractions in Quirigua
The largest of the stelae, stela E, stands thirty-five feet (11 meters) tall and weighs an estimated 130,000 pounds (almost 60,000 kilograms). The site also features “zoomorphs”, which are great stones carved into animal shapes.
Activities in Quirigua
Allow a full day to get to/from and visit this site. A visit to Quirigua is best undertaken with the assistance of a local Travel Expert who will be able to organise transportation and a local guide.
Relaxing
After exploring the site, take a wander through the surrounding countryside with its banana plantations.
Getting Around
Quirigua is about 220 kilometres from Guatemala City, located not far from the highway that links the city to the coast.
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