If you have been to Guatemala, you are probably curious as to why this country has plentiful of natural wonders, especially lakes, volcanoes and mountains.
In fact, a hidden gem exists in Guatemala City that is definitely worth visiting. In addition, this is considered a gem in modern engineering and art.
This is called a raised-relief map, a type of 3D map that shows the different elevations (high points) and depressions (low points) of a land surface using contour lines and shading techniques.
The relief map of Guatemala, or Mapa en Relieve de Guatemala in Spanish, is located within the Hipódromo del Norte park in Zone 2 of the capital. A gigantic slide is also located in that park.
The map is erected at ground level on a scale of 1: 10,000 horizontally and 1: 2,000 vertically.
A balustrade, or the perimeter wall surrounding the map, consists of six decorative medallions that repeat throughout its length. The medallions contain symbols and allegories pertaining to Guatemala's national history.
It highlights the volcanoes, lakes, rivers and valleys that cover the country's landscape. In addition, the relief map also highlights Guatemala's departments, cities and towns.
Then-president of Guatemala Manuel Estrada Cabrera came up with the idea of constructing the relief map of Guatemala. This was part of a plan to carry out a landscaping plan for Minerva temple, which used to be part of the Hipódromo del Norte park before being demolished. He enlisted the help of Francisco Vela, the engineer who responsible for the design and construction of map.
The project was approved by Estrada Cabrera in 1903 and had the collaboration of two engineers, Claudio Urrutia and Ernesto Aparicio, and auxiliaries Eugenio Rosal, Salvador Castillo, Eduardo Castellanos and Domingo Penedo.
Overall, the construction took approximately 18 months to complete. The relief map of Guatemala was officially inaugurated on Oct. 29, 1905. Thirty years later, observation towers were constructed for a higher-level view the relief map.
Materials used in the construction of the map included brick and mortar, as well as cement cladding. The base was constructed out of stone, while pumice stone was used for the spaces corresponding to oceans.
The map has been remodeled twice. The first one was in 1980, which was done by the Guatemalan Institute of Tourism. The second remodeling was done in 2014 by the Municipality of Guatemala.
In September 2021, the relief map underwent a restoration project in order to improve and preserve its structure. The project involved cleaning, retouching and repainting the map while taking special care to areas of high importance.
Upon completing the restoration, the relief map now has new, vibrant colors clearly highlighting the country's geography.
You can come visit the Guatemala relief map from Tuesday to Sunday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Entries cost Q5 for national visitors and Q25 for foreign tourists.
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