COSTA RICA HISTORY

GUAYABO THE LOST CITY

Less than two hours from San Jose lies the tiny Guayabo National Monument.

Today it’s called Guayabo but its real name has been lost to antiquity.

And, it’s just now being excavated.

Like the mysterious Disquis balls of southern Costa Rica, virtually nothing is known about the people who lived here. Click to learn about Costa Rica disquis balls

Isolated in the highlands of Turrialba, east of San Jose, and believed to have existed for about 2,500 years, Guayabo seems to have been mysteriously abandoned just before Columbus discovered Costa Rica.

But not just roads. The ancient residents of Guyabo engineered and built incredible water reservoirs, water filters and water transmission lines (prompting a local legislator to joke that the country's civil engineers ought to learn how to be so adept at delivering water).

Indeed, the engineering is so incredible that the American Society of Civil Engineers has decided to bestow upon Guayabo the title of International Heritage of Civil Engineering. This is a rare and very unique designation.

The only other South or Central American site to receive such an honor is Machu Pichu in Peru!

Even today, during the height of tourist season, this little gem is virtually undiscovered.

Waiting for you on your Costa Rica vacation.

You won’t even need a guide.

You can walk through this mysterious piece of the history of Costa Rica and wonder for yourself.

The park service has a color brochure showing labeled poles along the leisurely Los Monticulos nature trail.

You’ll see archeological sights as you walk along, stone coffin graves and even what is believed to be Costa Rica’s first bridge.

Not to mention lots of birds, butterflies, and perhaps even a sloth.

Come and See the Petroglyphs of the Lost City

They’re here for you to discover when you travel Costa Rica, to wonder and ask: "Who were these people?"

You’ll find aqueducts—still functioning today—swimming pools, stone graves, and mounds still awaiting archeological exploration.

So much history still a mystery. You’ll only need an hour or so to step back thousands of years.

So come, discover Guayabo!

Pura Vida!

Go to Costa Rica History main page

Go from Lost City to Pura Vida!

Go from Costa Rica History Lost City to Costa Rica Vacations homepage click here