Image "Miradas que perduran..." by sOclo_co.
The San Agustín Archaeological Park (550 kilometers to the southwest of Bogotá), is one of the most interesting places not only in Colombia but also in the Americas to science and culture, because it keeps valuable treasures of the pre-Hispanic civilizations of the Formative Stage of America (contemporary to the time of the Olmeca Civilization in Mesoamerica about 2 thousand years ago). With the coming of the Holocene - a planetary worming that ended the Ice Era -, many people around the world did discovered the agriculture and started a process of sedentarization that opened the development of cities and cultural manifestations with distinguish social identities such as writing systems, a vision of the universe, religions, architecture and others cultural elements. Such a process was not strange to the huge Colombian territory located strategically among the two main blocks of the American civilizations: the Andes and Mesoamerica.
One of those more precious evidence is the today San Agustín Archaeological Park located in the territories of the municipalities of San Agustín and Isno (Department of Huila). In this Park it is possible to see statues and carves in stone, plains, ancient paths, terraces, small temples and funeral hills. The place was declared Patrimony of the Humanity by Unesco in 1995 and it is today one of the main spots for national and international tourism in Colombia, as history, antropology and archaeology researchs as well.
Image "The Central Cordillera" by ajarvis.
The Park is located in one of the most south-west Departments of Colombia, Huila, which capital is the Neiva City. The region has a great variety of climates due to the different altitudes. The natural location of the Macizo Colombiano, a mountain system where the Andes ranges are divided in the Central and Western Mountain Ranges and that is the heart of big rivers such the Magdalena, Cauca and Caqueta rivers among many others. The richess of water gives place to the Betania's Hydroelectric Power Station. If all of these were few things to see, the Department has also one of the highest Colombian altitudes, the Nevado del Huila (a snowed mountain) with its summit at 5.750 metres above the sea level. The snowed is also the "National Park Natural Reserve Nevado del Huila". Other important altitudes of the region are the Coconucos ranges, the altitudes of Cuyanga, Papas and Soledad, the mountainous areas of La Ceja, Ensillada, Minas, Nátaga and Potrerogrande. All of those places were the cradle of the agrarian civilization that let the fascinating archaeological artifacts that today are object of adminaration and studies. In Pitalito, one of the most important towns of the region, traditional ceramic crafts continues being an alive activity made by local artists.
Image "Nevado del Huila" by fidelius.
Travelling to the Department of Huila and the San Agustín Archaeological Park is easy from any main city of Colombia. From Bogotá a bus spends about 5 hours to do the 500 kilometers that separates the two cities. Neiva from Medellín is 587 kilometers far. The Benito Salas National Airport connects Neiva with the main Colombian international airports.
Recommended links:
* Cerámica Arte Aborigen (Pitalito, Huila).
* Neiva, destino turístico.
* Arriving San Agustín from Bogotá.
* Alcaldía de Neiva.
Comment this article. If you know the region, if you think it is requiered to add more information or if you have more experiences that you think could be usefull for others.
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