Tierradentro Archaeological Park is a cultural and historical focal point of the municipality of Paez, located in the area around the village of San Andrés de Pisimbalá. The park’s archaeological heritage includes underground tombs, stone statues and museum exhibits.

History and Five Zones

The park was established in 1945; Tierradentro was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995. The UNESCO designation came exactly 50 years after the park was established.

The park’s archaeological sites include underground tombs, known as hypogea, as well as stone statues. They are spread across five zones: Loma del Aguacate, Alto de San Andrés, Loma de Segovia, Alto del Duende and El Tablón. The park is divided into five archaeological zones; the tomb counts refer to four sites.

Tombs and Exhibition

The park protects 162 pre-Columbian underground tombs preserved in situ at four sites: Alto de San Andrés with 23 hypogea, Alto de Segovia with 64 tombs, Alto del Duende with 13 burials and Alto del Aguacate with 62 hypogea. The largest of the listed collections is at Alto de Segovia, and the smallest at Alto del Duende. The 62 hypogea at Alto del Aguacate lie along a 250-metre-long ridge. Alto de Segovia and Alto del Aguacate have the two largest collections, with 64 and 62 hypogea respectively; they differ by just two tombs. Together, these two sites account for 126 of the 162 tombs preserved in situ.

At the Archaeological Park’s museum, an open-air exhibition displays 80 hypogea, nine statues and associated archaeological materials. The 80 hypogea on display belong to the museum; the 162 tombs preserved in situ are spread across a total of four sites in the park.

El Tablón is also part of the park. Stone sculptures associated with tombs from earlier periods are protected and displayed there.

Other Museums and Planning Your Visit

Another cultural landmark is the Casa Museo y Biblioteca, a 19th-century building. The Archaeological Museum and the Ethnographic Museum are housed in the building. The Casa Museo y Biblioteca is distinct from the park’s open-air exhibition: both museums are housed together in the 19th-century building.

For visits to the park, ICANH lists opening hours of 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on opening days. Since these hours apply only on opening days, check the ICANH website before your visit to see whether a closure is planned. This way, you can match the hours to the specific date rather than assume the park is open every day.

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