Casa Blanca and Tazumal ruins

Tazumal and Casa Blanca ruins are an important part of the Mayan route in El Salvador.

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Tazumal

They cover an area of approximately 5-10 sq km and are located in the city of Chalchuapa in the department of Santa Ana about 85 km west of San Salvador.

It is believed that the Olmecs, Toltecs, Mayas, Pocomanes and the Pipiles occupied this area of Mesoamerica.

Tazumal in the Quiché language means “place where the victims were burned”. These ruins are a series of structures that date back to 100-1200 BC. It is believed that this community was constructed by the Mayans who settled here.

It included tombs, smaller pyramids as well as a complex drainage system. An indigo workshop was also found on this site.

The main pyramid is about 23 meters high. A ball court was also discovered here, unfortunately it is believed that the captain of the losing team was then sacrificed.

A lot of research and excavations have been done on this site. Magnificent artifacts have been found here too, take a look at these ones below.

The Tazumal ruins are the most well known ruins in El Salvador and have been featured in stamps and a Salvadorean bank note (now out of use).

Also, the life-size statue of Xipe-Totec which is believed to have come from Mexico, was discovered. This statue is now showcased in the Museum of Anthropology David J. Guzmán, it's a pretty amazing statue!

Amenities:

• On site museum
• Small picnic area
• No parking is available inside the site so visitors need to park outside on the street

Casa Blanca ruins

Also located in the same area are the Casa Blanca ruins which are the remains of a very large Pre-Classic and Classic period settlement. A coffee plantation farm named Casa Blanca was located here during the colonial times and when the ancient ruins were found the archaeological site was given the same name.

The Casa Blanca ruins are composed of 6 structures that have been excavated and some are partly restored. The tallest pyramid rises approximately 15 meters. Structures 4 and 5 are still buried so visitors are only able to see bulges or swellings on the ground.

It’s really nice to walk on the paths of this park with all the surrounding greenery and being able to see the ancient structures. The archaeological park is rather small but it is nicely kept.

There is also an indigo workshop in the museum and you may be able to dye a shirt if you bring one. Here is a picture of the entrance to the museum.

During the last 10 years this site has also been serving as research grounds for local and foreign archaeology students.

Amenities:

• On site colonial style museum
• In house indigo workshop
• Parking
• No picnic facilities in the site but there are many good eateries close by

Admissions for both Tazumal and Casa Blanca:

• Open Tuesday to Sunday from 9am – 4pm
• $0.69 for locals, $2.86 for tourists

How to get there:

• Tazumal ruins

Take the Panamerican hwy - CA-1 (Carretera Panamericana) westbound from San Salvador towards Santa Ana. A few kilometers after the Santa Ana exit is the turnoff to the “Las Chinamas” Guatemalan border, this is the exit you want and it will take you to the city of Chalchuapa.

As you enter Chalchuapa, take the first road to the left leading off the highway and it will take you to a small Texaco gas station. At this point, take a left and this road will take you straight to the Tazumal ruins.

• Casa Blanca ruins

Follow the same directions as above except you need to stay on the highway and shortly after you will see the sign into the archaeological park. The Casa Blanca archaeological park is located right next to the city cemetery.

Bus service is also available to this area. If you decide to go by bus, you would need to take the buses that service the department of Ahuachapán. You will need to let the fare collector (cobrador) that you want to get off at the Casa Blanca ruins and they will stop right there for you. From here, it’s a short walk to the Tazumal ruins (about 10 small blocks).

So all together, the Tazumal, Casa Blanca, Joya de Cerén and San Andrés archaeological ruins form the well recommended Mayan route in El Salvador.

So when planning a vacation, make sure you make some time to visit at least one of these ancient sites, there's a lot to see and explore!

To learn more about other archaeological sites mentioned here, click on the link below to go back to Mayan Ruins.

Joya de Cerén Ruins - A World Heritage Site...

San Andrés Ruins - The largest Pre-Hispanic site...

Cihuatán Ruins - The largest archaeological site...