Guatape Rock: as many as 659 steps on the way to the top that are worth overcoming (7 photos)

Guatape is a cute town about two hours from Medellin, Colombia. Travelers associate it with a giant rock, which can be seen from almost any point. The massive rock was formed millions of years ago. The Tahamis Indians, being the masters of these lands, worshiped the rock.





Fight for the rock

This giant rock has its own history. To the north of the rock there is a painting of the letters G and U. Two towns, Guatape and El Peñol, have long been arguing over who owns the large rock. Later, the people of Guatape decided to make the first ascent of this mountain and tell everyone that it belonged to them. They wanted to write the full name of the city on the top, but they were only able to depict the first two letters - G and part of the U.



After neighbors' attempts to establish the identity of the landmark were noticed by the residents of El Peñol, a crowd of disgruntled people gathered to stop the work of the Guatape people. And so it turned out that only the letters G and part of the U remained painted on the rock.

This place is so important to the locals because it previously served as a place of worship and was sacred. A long time ago, an ancient tribe of Tahamis Indians lived on the territory of the towns. They respected this place and considered the rock a sacred object.





Hundreds of steps to the top

At the highest point of this hill, or rather on the southeastern side, the height of the rock reaches 2135 meters. Not every person is able to climb to such a height, but many set off on the journey without hesitation.



True, travelers and local residents do not have to learn the basics of mountaineering in order to climb. The rock is equipped with an amazing staircase that seems to never end. With its help you can climb to the peak, but you should assess all the risks in advance, because you need to go through 659 steps.

However, those who find the fortitude to climb to the top will receive a valuable reward - impressive views of the surrounding area for many kilometers and pumped up leg muscles.