Mapa en Relieve de Guatemala (Relief Map of Guatemala), Guatemala City

The Relief Map of Guatemala is an extraordinary open-air museum and engineering marvel that offers a bird’s-eye view of the nation’s varied landscape. Spanning an impressive 1,800 m² and crafted at scales of 1:10,000 horizontally and 1:2,000 vertically, it dramatizes terrain features-from volcanic peaks and canyons to rivers, lakes, and cities-with exaggerated depth that makes its fold-and-rise topography come vividly to life.

Commissioned by President Manuel Estrada Cabrera and built between 1904 and 1905, the map was designed under the supervision of engineer Francisco Vela. The monumental structure-with brick-lined level contours, steel bridges, and lead railway lines-was fueled by extensive field surveys across the country, undertaken on foot, horseback, and by donkey over a 15-year period . Remarkably, it operates with real water features: lakes and rivers flow using communicating-vessel principles powered by an underground reservoir.

Today, the map still dazzles visitors with its scale and detail. Two observation towers offer panoramic vantage points to appreciate Guatemala's mountainous backbone, including active volcanoes and lush lowlands. Educational plaques, a small exhibition hall showcasing 18th-century photos, and the adjacent “Sonorous Forest”-a garden of hormigo trees planted in honor of marimba composers-round out a visit that blends geography, history, and botany.