LA LAGUNA CUZCACHAPA

Located to the east of the historic center, equidistant between the archaeological sites of Tazumal and Casa Blanca, this lake occupies a small volcanic crater whose magma body has collapsed. Its approximate size is 360 m from north to south and 250 m from east to west. On its northern shore, archaeologists have discovered traces of early human occupation in the Chalchuapa area; perhaps because the lake was an important water supply site, around 1,200 BC.

If you visit the lagoon early in the morning, you'll come across locals jogging, fishermen on the shore casting their lines and ducks swimming calmly on the blue waters.

Surrounded in part by the high walls of the ancient volcano, the walk is very pleasant. You can hear and see many birds such as the torogoz and the hummingbird.

A veil of mystery shrouds the Laguna de Cuzcachapa, with various legends and beliefs, such as the legend of the "Viejita Tamalera", which says that at the bottom of the lake there was a palace of an Indian princess, or beliefs that it has no bottom or is directly connected to the Santiago Apóstol church.

For years, efforts have been made to prevent the lake from being overrun by aquatic plants, and bathing and laundry washing are forbidden in order to preserve the Laguna de Cuzcachapa ecosystem. It's a pleasant place to enjoy the peace and mingle with the locals.