History
History of the Piedra del Peñol
The rock has been there for millions of years, but its story as an attraction began one week in July 1954, when three men decided to reach the top.
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What it is made of
It is a granite dome (quartz, feldspar and mica) belonging to the Antioquia batholith, a huge body of rock that cooled underground. Erosion stripped away what covered it and, once the weight was gone, the rock expanded into its rounded shape, like Sugarloaf Mountain in Rio de Janeiro. Geologists call it an inselberg. By local tradition, the indigenous people of the area called it Mojarrá.
- 220 mtall
- 770 maround
- ~22 million m³in volume
- 2,137 mabove sea level
Is it a meteorite?
No. It is one of the most searched questions and the answer is clear: it is granite from the same batholith that makes up much of Antioquia's mountains, not a rock from space. Its odd shape comes from erosion and decompression, not an impact.
The first climb, 1954
Luis Eduardo Villegas López, Pedro Nel Ramírez and Ramón Díaz first climbed it between Monday July 12 and Friday July 16, 1954, wedging wooden poles into a crack in the rock. The 740-step staircase follows that same crack today.
Who owns it?
The land under the rock is private property and its current heirs are the Villegas family. Luis Villegas opened it to the public in the 1970s, and a private operator has charged admission ever since; that is why the ticket price is set by the operator, not the town.
The half-painted sign
In the 1970s, in a deal between the owner and the mayor of Guatapé, workers began painting "GUATAPÉ" in giant letters on the rock face. El Peñol, which sees the rock as part of its identity, protested and the painting stopped. The unfinished letters are still there and easy to spot from the road.
The rock and the reservoir
Until the 1970s the rock stood above valleys and pastures. A hydroelectric project flooded the valley, created the reservoir that surrounds it today and swallowed the old town of El Peñol, which was relocated in 1978. That story, and the replica that remembers it, are in Old El Peñol. To see the reservoir from the water today, see the lake and boat tours.
Frequently asked questions
Who first climbed the Rock of Guatapé?
Who owns the rock?
Is the Rock of Guatapé a meteorite?
Why are there letters painted on it?
Sources
Checked on October 18, 2026. Prices and opening hours change: always confirm with the official source before you travel.