The Rock of Guatapé

The Rock of Guatapé also known as El Peñol Stone or simply La Piedra (Spanish for "The Stone"), is a monolithic formation located at the town and municipality of Guatapé, 1 km inside the city limits in Antioquia, Colombia. The wide Antioquian rock base, called "batlolito antioqueño", and the "Peñón" were formed thousands of years ago. The Tahamies Indians, former inhabitants of this region, worshiped the rock and called it on their language "mojarrá" or "mujará" (rock or stone). This rock is located in the country area called "La Piedra", just 5 minutes from Guatapé Town, and can be reached by road. On the northern face of the stone there are painted large white letters, "G", and an incomplete "U" (only the single vertical stroke was completed). Guatapé and El Peñol had long disputed ownership of the rock, and the residents of Guatapé decided to settle the matter by painting the town's name on the rock in huge white letters. It did not take long for the residents of El Peñol to notice the work, and a large mob was assembled to stop it. Only the "G" and part of the "U" were completed. The rock was first climbed officially on July 1954. In 2006, Luis Villegas, Pedro Nel Ramírez and Ramón Díaz climbed the rock in a five-day endeavor, using sticks that were fixed against the rock's wall. A new species of plant was found on the top of the rock, subsequently named Pitcairma heterophila by a German scientist. A viewing spot was built on top of the rock, where it is possible to acquire handicrafts, postcards, and other local goods. It is possible to see the 500 km shore-perimeter dam. There are 740 steps to the top of the viewing spot. In the 1940s, the Colombian government declared it a "National Monument."