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The main highway north, CA-4, or the Troncal del Norte , runs the 95km or so from San Salvador to the Honduran border at El Poy. A favourite target of guerrillas during the war, the road is still under repair, although most of the work is now complete. Some 35km from the capital, the workaday town of AGUILARES has little of interest for visitors but is conveniently close to the ruins of Cihuatan , 4km north. Though it's the most important Postclassic site in the country, a visit here is probably only for real archeology buffs; most of the buildings remain unexcavated and there is very little by way of information. Although sporadic excavations have been carried out over the last hundred years, the true dimensions of the site did not become fully apparent until the felling of tree cover began in the 1950s. Sadly, the area is now acutely deforested, and nothing remains of the extensive woods amid which the site stood. Originally covering an area of around four square kilometres, Cihuatan (meaning "Place of Women" in Nahaut) was founded sometime after the first waves of Pipils (or Toltecs) began arriving in El Salvador in the tenth century. There is no evidence of occupation prior to this and the site was abandoned and destroyed around 1200, for reasons unknown. Residential areas surrounded two ceremonial centres, divided by a natural depression and covering an area of about half a square kilometre. Most of the excavations to date have been of the so-called West Ceremonial Centre, stretching west from the Rio Acelhuate, where around twenty structures have been identified, including stepped pyramids and an I-shaped pelota court, bearing a clear Mexican influence, reflecting the origins of the Pipils. Artefacts found - including remains of ritual jars, some in the shape of human heads, ceramics and representations of the gods Tlaloc (rain) and Mictlanteuctli (underworld) - indicate trading and other links with settlements in Guatemala, the Gulf Coast and the high ground of Central Mexico. The site is now administered by Concultura (Edificio A-5, Third Floor, Centro de Gobierno, San Salvador; tel 221 4364). There are no set opening hours ; take a taxi from Aguilares and ask the resident guard for permission to look round. All buses running from the capital to Chalatenango or La Palma pass through Aguilares. Twenty minutes north of Aguilares by car or bus, at kilometre 46.5 on the Troncal del Norte, is La Hacienda de Colima (tel & fax 226 4144, alfalit@netcomsa.com ; US$5-10), a renovated hacienda with its own stunning forest reserve which encloses a variety of ecosystems and is home to numerous species of flora and fauna. The views of Lake Suchitlan and the nearby volcanoes are magnificent, and local guides are available to help you explore the area. The rooms have mosquito nets and there's a pool, cafe, numerous walking trails and a campsite. To get there, take any bus headed for La Palma or El Poy and ask the driver to let you off at the entrance. For more information visit the Alfalit office at Blvd Universitario 2034, Col San Jose, San Salvador.
Cihuatan NewsPaul says "Cihuatan was inaugurated as an archaeological park in November, 2007. It now has a site museum with ample information about Cihuatan, modern bathrooms, a picnic area, and an interpretative trail. Two additional structures have been consolidated since the article was written, a small temple and a circular platform. Opening hours are Tuesday through Sunday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The road is now fully repaired. Cihuatan is at kilometre 36.5, about 3 kilometres north of the town of Aguilares. The view from Cihuatan's main pyramid is spectacular, featuring nearby Guazapa Volcano."
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