Guatemala's Mapa en Relieve

During my last stay in Guatemala City, I visited what has to be one of the world’s most unusual maps: the Mapa en Relieve, a giant relief map of Guatemala located in Parque Minerva. Dating back to the early years of the 20th century, this concrete and masonry map covers more than 1,800 square meters (19,500 square feet) and shows the entire country of Guatemala as well as Belize.

The map's builders used a horizontal scale of 1:10,000 and a vertical scale of 1:2,000 to exaggerate Guatemala's rugged topography. This dual scale produced steep-sided valleys and spindly mountain ranges with peaks that look like inverted ice-cream cones. Small signs mark cities, towns, and prominent physical features. Railway lines and roads are also clearly shown. A special hydraulic system simulates water bodies by pumping water into the map's rivers, lakes and oceans.

From walkways and strategically placed viewing towers, you can get a sense of Guatemala's remarkable physical diversity. The Mapa en Relieve has been declared a National Historic Monument by the Guatemalan government, and it provides an entertaining way for travelers to get oriented before they set out to explore the rest of the country.



The Mapa en Relieve is located in Zona 2, a short bus or taxi ride north of downtown Guatemala City. Opening hours are 9 am to 5 pm daily. Admission is about US$2.

Travel Map Musings

Someone wise (I forget who) once observed that "the map is not the territory." This certainly is true: nothing can replace experiencing first-hand the sights, sounds, smells, and tastes of a foreign land. Nonetheless, maps are essential tools for travelers. Without them, we would be lost. Here are some qualities that I look for in a good travel map.

1. A thorough index: nothing is worse than having to search endlessly for a small town on a map without an index.
2. Waterproof and tear-proof paper: a travel map is only as useful as the quality of the paper that it's printed on.
3. Well known travel destinations clearly marked: this won't make Machu Picchu any easier to get to, but at least I'll be able to find it in a hurry.
   
4. Mountains and lowlands easy to see: this way I'll know when to take my altitude-sickness pills.
5. A useable legend with distances in both kilometres and miles: sometimes I'm metric, and sometimes I'm not.
6. Easy to fold back up: I don't have time to practice origami when I'm on the road.
7. Reasonable price: travel journalism is a low-rent occupation.
   

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