Santa María la Antigua del Darién, Archaeological site in Unguía, Chocó Department, Colombia.
Santa María la Antigua del Darién is an archaeological site near the Gulf of Urabá with preserved foundations and artifacts from the early Spanish occupation period. The remains show one of the earliest European settlements established on the South American mainland.
The settlement was founded in 1510 and marked the first European city on the South American mainland. It was destroyed in 1524, ending its brief existence as an established community.
The settlement reveals how early Spanish settlers and indigenous groups coexisted through what archaeologists have uncovered in the foundations and objects scattered across the site. Daily life here was shaped by contact between two very different worlds meeting for the first time.
The archaeological park is open to visitors and allows you to explore the excavated ruins and museum collection. Access to this remote location requires planning, as travel times can be lengthy from nearby towns.
A Spanish leader used this location as the starting point for an expedition across the isthmus to explore new territory. The journey resulted in the European discovery of the Pacific Ocean in 1513.
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