San Andrés, El Salvador

San Andrés is an archaeological site in Ciudad Arce, El Salvador, with several pyramids, plazas, and ceremonial buildings spread across two main areas: the South Seat and the North Seat. The structures rise on artificial mounds of packed earth and are connected by broad pathways that run between open courtyards.

The settlement began around 900 BC as a farming village and was abandoned after the Ilopango volcano erupted in 250 AD. People returned in the 5th century and rebuilt the center as an important regional place that remained inhabited until the Spanish arrival.

The settlement takes its name from a later colonial town dedicated to Saint Andrew that stood nearby. Visitors today walk through open plazas and terraced levels that once hosted religious ceremonies and public gatherings of the Maya.

The park has laid-out paths leading to the main structures, and information panels explain the function of each area along the route. A small museum near the entrance displays ceramics, tools, and jewelry found during excavations and offers context for walking through the complex.

Beneath the pre-Columbian ruins lie the remains of colonial indigo production facilities buried by the Playón volcanic eruption of 1658. This layering of two eras in one place shows how volcanic activity repeatedly interrupted and reshaped human settlement in the region.

Location: Ciudad Arce

GPS coordinates: 13.80062,-89.38914

Latest update: December 17, 2025 10:28