San Agustin, Colombia
What is it famous for?
This famous park lies near the source of the Magdalena
River in the province of Huila in Colombia. Getting there requires effort but
you will not regret once you get there and see these beautiful sculptures,
carved as far as 3000 B.C. at the Valley of the Statues. It
generates significant revenue to the economy due to the high volume of domestic
and international tourists. The park contains 14 sites with over 500
pre-Colombian statues, tombs and ceremonial carvings. They are carved out of
volcanic rock, some are over 4 meters tall and weigh several tons.
How to reach there?
Most people
visit San Agustin traveling from Bogota during weekends or long weekends. The
easiest way to get here is to take a bus from Popayan or Bogota,
about 8 hours
overland travel from Popayan. It is best to
take a tour from Bogot or take a local guide. The park covers a total area of
800 square kilometers. San Augustin has excellent opportunities for hiking and
horseback riding tours.
About Statues:
Mythical animals and Gods are skillfully represented in styles. These works of art display the creativity and imagination of a northern Andean culture that flourished from the 1st to the 8th century. In the park are an amazing array of separate stone sculptures, in the shapes of animals and warriors and human faces, some mythical, some realistic. San Agustin Archaeological park was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995. The culture that made these thousands of amazing statues disappeared and its not exactly known. Many graves were found full of treasures and unfortunately some were stolen. The civilization existed there AD 500-1100 and remains a mystery. There are some theories but nothing has been proved. San Agustin Colombia probably is a city for the dead; a huge cemetery for their religious and political leaders.
There is a small museum at the park headquarter and it provides information like literature and maps. You can also enjoy the beautiful scenery at the Magdalena River gorge with waterfalls and steep-cliffs.
Hotels:
Most of the hotels here are medium priced, some of those are Hotel Colonial, Cambi Hotel and Mi Terruno.
