Mayan Stelae at Quirigua

In the 8th century, at the height of ancient Mesoamerican culture, the city of Quirigua was one of its most important settlements, a World Heritage site that UNESCO calls “one of the major testimonies to the Mayan civilization.”

Situated at the crossroads of important trade routes in southeastern Guatemala, Quirigua teemed with cultural, civil, economic and royal life. At the site today are the remains of this once-grand city, including the Great Plaza (the largest known public gathering space of this Mayan region), and 17 stelae and zoomorphic monuments carved from sandstone.