In this holiday season come to Guanajuato where its archaeological treasures are waiting for you Guanajuato/Gto News This December holiday seas
In this holiday season come to Guanajuato where its archaeological treasures are waiting for you
Guanajuato/Gto News
This December holiday season, the Guanajuato State Secretary of Culture, through the Direction of Cultural Heritage, invites locals and visitors to explore five fascinating archaeological zones open to the public.
The archaeological sites are true treasures that reveal the historical and cultural treasures of Guanajuato:
- El Coporo
- Canada de la Virgen
- Plazuelas
- Peralta
- Arroyo Seco
– Located on the border strip of Mesoamerica is El Coporo, an important pre-Hispanic settlement occupied between 500 and 900 AD. On its slopes are civic-administrative and residential complexes such as Gotas and Montes, while the Puerto del Aire complex, with its paved road, suggests a ceremonial access to the sacred spaces of the site.
– Arroyo Seco, is recognized as one of the most important concentrations of rock art in the country. It boasts more than 42 painted panels distributed among rock shelters on two hills known as La Zorra and La Tortuga. These paintings narrate, over several centuries, the history of the migration of hunter-collector groups go to the early years of the conquest.
– Plazuelas was one of the most complex pre-Hispanic cities in southern Guanajuato. Its buildings are scattered and connected by causeways and paths that wind through the hills, converging at the spring known as El Agua Nacida. Occupied between 600 and 900 AD, the site is notable for its ballcourt, the Casas Tapadas architectural complex, and the abundance of petroglyphs that enrich the cultural landscape.
– Another must-see site is Peralta, one of the largest civic-ceremonial centers in this region of Mesoamerica, inhabited between 300 and 750 AD. Its monumental architecture can be seen in structures such as the Double Temple and Sunken Patio, the Rulers’ Enclosure and other nearby complexes such as La Joyita, La Crucita and La Luz de Quintana.
– Canada de la Virgen rises atop a hill surrounded by deep ravines. Its apogee occurred between 640 and 900 AD, and its urban layout reflects a profound understanding of cosmic cycles. The House of the Thirteen Heavens stands out, a 15-meter-high pyramidal base that encloses a large sunken courtyard. This site was an important center for astronomical observation for agricultural communities that also practiced hunting, collecting, and ritual exchange with other Mesoamerican regions.
How to visit:
- The archaeological sites of Guanajuato are open from Tuesday to Sunday
- From 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m
- Last entry is at 5:00 p.m. at Peralta and Plazuelas
- At 4:00 p.m. at El Coporo, Canada de la Virgen, and Arroyo Seco
- For the holidays, the sites will close at 2:00 p.m. on December 24 and 31
- Sites will be closed on December 25 and January 1, 2026
- General admission is 70 pesos
- With a discounted rate of 20 pesos for children ages 6 to 12
- For Canada de la Virgen, the cost is 100 pesos for general admission and 25 pesos for children
More details and directions to each archaeological site at:
- cultura.guanajuato.gob.mx
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