In the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in El Salvador, only one cultural site was recognized into the list.
Joya de Ceren Archaeological Site (1993)
This archaeological site is an important part of El Salvador’s culture, hence earning it a spot in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in El Salvador. It is a pre-Columbian Maya farming village that was preserved under layers of volcanic ash. This small farming community was believed to have been inhabited since the 1200 BC right along the edge of the Maya Cultural area.
But when the Ilopango Volcano erupted in AD 200, the villagers were forced to evacuate the area. Interestingly, the volcanic ash seemed to have preserved the entire village and it has mostly stayed intact until today. Many refer to Joya de Ceren as the “Pompeii of the Americas”.
View the list of all of the UNESCO World Heritage sites I have visited on my travels.
View all the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Central America.