The Rock of Guatapé or El Peñón de Guatapé

Guatape is a beautiful town two hours from Medellin, Colombia. The town’s main attraction is the gigantic rock, visible pretty much anywhere you are in the city.

The massive stone was formed millions of years ago. The Tahamies Indians, former inhabitants of this region, worshiped the rock.

The rock has a curious history. 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). According to Wikipedia, 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.

At its highest part, on the rear (southeast side), it has an elevation of 2,135 metres (7,005 ft) over sea level. 659 steps lead you to the top of La Piedra Del Peñol (Spanish for “The Rock of Guatapé”). The view from there is great, as you can imagine.