Trip to the Quiriguá Ruins in Guatemala

The Quiriguá archaeological site is located about 73 km south of Rio Dulce (a two-hour drive) or 250 km (about a five-hour drive) from the capital, Guatemala City.

This site features impressive and well-preserved Maya monuments. The place was inhabited by the Maya between 200 and 900 CE.

Quiriguá archaeological site in Guatemala

The site features tall pillars called Stelae (Estela), some of which reach a height of about 7 meters plus another 2-3 meters underground. They are built from a single block of sandstone and weigh up to 65 tons! These huge rocks were brought here by the Maya from a quarry located 5 km away. The pillars are carved with figures, numbers, and ancient Maya words on all sides, essentially serving as a written historical record of Maya events and leaders.

Stela pillar in Quiriguá

The larger and more rounded stones are called Altars (Altar): they are low, lie on the ground, and feature the same carvings, with some shaped like animals.

Altar stone in Quiriguá

Sculpted altar in Quiriguá

It is recommended to take a guided tour to understand the meaning and history of the Maya told in these reliefs.

In addition to the monuments, the site also features an acropolis with steep stairs and the remains of a temple and structures. Some of them were built from marble. Today it is known that the closest source of marble to the site is located 60 km away.

Quiriguá ruins in Guatemala

The site also has a museum with explanations about everyone who researched and discovered the place starting as early as 1840.

At the site, you can also spot beautiful and colorful long-tailed birds called Motmot.

Motmot bird in Guatemala

The duration of the visit to the site is about an hour and a half.

Short video about a trip to the Quiriguá ruins:

Guatemala Map

Guatemala map