World Heritage Identification Number: 743
World Heritage since: 1995
Category: Cultural Heritage
Transboundary Heritage: No
Endangered Heritage: No
Country: 🇨🇴 Colombia
Continent: Americas
UNESCO World Region: Latin America and the Caribbean
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Exploring the Rich Cultural Legacy: National Archaeological Park of Tierradentro
The National Archaeological Park of Tierradentro, located in the mountainous region of southwestern Colombia, offers a unique glimpse into the rich cultural history of pre-Columbian societies. Inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995, this archaeological park showcases a remarkable collection of elaborate pre-Columbian hypogea, or underground tombs, dating from the 6th to the 10th century.
More to come…UNESCO Description of the World Heritage Site
Several monumental statues of human figures can be seen in the park, which also contains many hypogea dating from the 6th to the 10th century. These huge underground tombs (some burial chambers are up to 12 m wide) are decorated with motifs that reproduce the internal decor of homes of the period. They reveal the social complexity and cultural wealth of a pre-Hispanic society in the northern Andes.
Encyclopedia Record: Tierradentro
Tierradentro is one of the ancient Pre-Columbian cultures of Colombia. It started to flourish around 200 BC in the mountains of southwest Colombia, and continued into the 17th century. The Tierradentro culture is particularly well known for its dense collection of elaborate pre-Columbian hypogea. It is considered part of San Agustín culture rather than a separate culture.Additional Site Details
Area: 38.84 hectares
Coordinates: 2.583333333 , -76.03333333
