San Ignacio Surroundings - El Pilar Archaeological Reserve

El Pilar (Spanish for "water basin") is a Mayan archaeological site and jungle preserve shared by Guatemala and Belize. Situated 900ft/275m above the Belize River, the total estimate of the site is around 100ac/40ha. Only recently discovered, El Pilar is one of the largest archaeological sites in Belize, but little of its history is known since not much of it has been explored. El Pilar was inhabited and constructed over 15 centuries, beginning in 450 BC until 1000 AD.

The large city was split into three districts and has 25 plazas and 70 major structures. Several structures remain underground and appear as jungle-covered mounds. Some of the largest buildings are centered around the 1.5ac/.6ha Plaza Copal, including 4 large pyramids and a ball court. Also a nature reserve, a variety of wildlife can be seen at El Pilar, including sloth, deer, tapir and armadillo. Birding is very good, recorded species including toucans, scarlet macaws and parrots. Six hiking trail systems are found throughout the reserve, emphasizing both nature and archaeology. Jungle preservation is a key goal of the reserve, which is only slightly cleared to emphasize the ruins. El Pilar was only reported in 1972 after a looting of the site, and excavations did not begin until 1993. In 1997, El Pilar was listed on the World Monuments Fund's 100 Most Endangered Sites in the World.