Plaza de las Culturas
Location: Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico (intersection of Libramiento Sur & Gra Trevino)
When to visit: Anytime during daylight hours
Cost: Free
Time needed: 10-20 minutes
Website: wikimapia.org/1815901/Plaza-de-las-Tres-Culturas (unofficial)
The border city of Piedras Negras, Mexico does not have any ancient Mayan, Aztec or Olmec pyramids, but the city decided to honor these cultures by re-creating pyramids from each in a public park!
That park is known as Plaza de las Culturas, and it’s one of the first things you’ll see if you walk or drive across the border from Eagle Pass, Texas on the Camino Real International Bridge or the Eagle Pass International Bridge.
The park is less than 15 years old and offers an introduction to Mexican culture via its artwork and statues. Some of the artwork here is really impressive.
What You’ll See at Plaza De Las Culturas
The best time to visit is during daylight hours. When I visited the site before noon, my friend and I were the only ones there.
The three pyramids are smaller replicas of the Castle of Chichen Itza, the Pyramid of the 365 Niches in El Tajin, and Pyramid of the Sun from Teotihuacan.
It’s actually very cool to walk around here. Because you don’t expect to see any famous monuments in a border city like Piedras Negras. And then suddenly you’re faced with large replicas of some of Mexico’s most famous archaeological sites!
Signs indicate that visitors are not permitted to actually climb the pyramids. But my friend may have snuck in a yoga pose or two. This is the replica of Teotihuacan, the famous 2000-year-old settlement that sits 25 miles from Mexico City.
In summary: The Plaza is a cool place to check out if you make it to Piedras Negras.
This park isn’t big enough to be a destination by itself, but it’s worth stopping by if you are passing through the area.
At night, the pyramids apparently look great when they’re all lit up. But as an American tourist, you’ll probably want to be heading back into the USA once the sun goes down.
Crime in Piedras Negras is lower than in other border towns, but you still don’t want to be wandering around after dark.
What’s Near the Plaza?
Across the street from Plaza de las Culturas, you’ll find a handful of restaurants with good reviews. The highest-rated is by Don Sushi & Bistro, followed by Karaoke y Bar Las Culturas, and then La Estrella Pescados y Mariscos (Fish and Seafood.)
The northern end of the park has a couple of pharmacies. On the southwestern end of the plaza, you can find Estadio de Beisbol 123, which hosts baseball and soccer games and events like concerts, although the stadium is somewhat run-down.
Parking near Plaza de las Culturas is generally not that difficult. We parked on the street right next to the plaza.
Piedras Negras is a city of about 160,000 people. The city’s name translates as “black stones,” which references the large amount of coal in the area.
The city’s annual events include Bike Fest and International Day of the Nacho.
For more reading on this part of Mexico, check out our photo essay from the state of Coahuila, and here’s a glimpse at what a couple of the small Mexican cemeteries look like.
Tourists don’t visit this part of the country as often as places like Mexico City, Puerto Vallarta, and even beach towns like Mazunte and Zipolite, so it’s off the beaten path for sure.
Would you be interested in seeing the replica sculptures in Plaza de las Culturas in Piedras Negras?
