Wondermondo 🢖 World 🢖 Wonders of North America 🢖 Wonders of Central America 🢖 Wonders of Nicaragua
Territory
Wonders of Nicaragua
Highlights
This beautiful Central American country is not a popular destination for international tourism. Not yet – the memories of comparatively recent civil war and minefields still are there. But things are changing for the best now.
Highlights of Nicaragua are:
- Volcanic landscape – few other countries have that many interesting volcanoes as Nicaragua. Exact cone-shaped mountains rise directly from enormous lakes of Nicaragua and bear every kind of heritage value – geological monuments, unique species of plants and animals, and mysterious archaeological monuments on their slopes.
- Little explored rainforest – vast forest in the western part of the country may hide numerous interesting monuments unknown to contemporary people. This is the largest undisturbed rainforest in Central America.
- Historical cities – León and Granada are some of the oldest European cities in the Americas – and old rivals. Both are true jewels with a rich architectural heritage.
Map with the described wonders
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Top 25 wonders of Nicaragua
Geological wonders
Masaya volcano
Masaya
Very active and unusual volcano (635 m) with several active craters. Santiago crater emits large amounts of sulfur dioxide that created acid rain and eliminated vegetation around the volcano. Masaya crater contains intermittent lava lakes – in 1670 in Nindiri crater the lake was up to 1 km large, by far the largest known lava lake.
Momotombo
León
Very symmetrical volcano next to Managua Lake. This 1,297 m tall volcano is active and caused much destruction in the surroundings.
Concepción volcano on Ometepe
Rivas
Perfectly symmetrical volcanic cone, rising almost 1.6 km above the lake, thus turning Ometepe island into the highest lake island in the world.
Somoto Canyon
Madriz
Up to 160 m deep and 3 km long canyon along Coco River.
Quizaltepe monolith
Boaco
Enormous, some 300 m tall monolith with caves.
El Rosario Falls (Salto de la Selva Morena)
Nueva Segovia
Wide, beautiful waterfall, one of the most impressive ones in Nicaragua. Waterfall has tree steps and its total height exceeds 200 m.
San Jacinto hot springs
León
Geothermal field with boiling mud pools.
Yahuk Falls
Región Autónoma del Atlántico Norte
Large waterfall on Waspuk River in the pristine forest of Bosawas National Park.
Biological wonders
Cloud forest of Maderas
Rivas
One of the two places in the Pacific side of Nicaragua where cloud forest grows on the very fertile volcanic ground. This forest has developed around the summit of Maderas volcano (1,394 m) on Ometepe Island in Lake Nicaragua and is very rich in rare species. According to the local legends, this misty forest is inhabited by fairies and spirits.
Cloud forest of Mombacho
Granada
One of the two cloud forests on the Pacific side of Nicaragua. This unique forest grows on the slopes of the Mombacho volcano (1,344 m). In some parts, the dwarf forest has developed. Forest contains endemic species of plants and animals living only here.
Archaeological wonders
Cueva La Conga
Jinotega
Cave with Pre-Columbian paintings and carved speleothems, the southernmost Mesoamerican cave paintings.
Punta las Figuras, Zapatera, and other sites on the Zapatera island
Granada
On this volcanic island are large, up to 2.5 m tall stone sculptures, petroglyphs, and other archaeological monuments. Most statues have been removed from the island. These monuments were created mostly in the time period between 800 and 1350 AD, possibly by Chorotega culture.
Isla El Muerto
Granada
>A small island near Zapatera. The cliffs of this small island are covered with large panels of Pre-Columbian rock art, mostly stylized animals, birds, and humans. Also, stone statues have been found here.
Sculptures and petroglyphs of Maderas
Rivas
On the northern slopes of Maderas volcano in the cloud forest are found large basalt statues and petroglyphs. The oldest artifacts are from 300 BC. Whole Ometepe Island is very rich with archaeological heritage, most of it – very diverse petroglyphs.
Cueva del Duende (Dwarf’s Cave)
Nueva Segovia
Small rock shelter with interesting petroglyphs.
Montelimar Cave
Managua
Small rock shelter with petroglyphs. In prehistoric paintings, the blue color is used – which is very rare for cave art.
Nawawasito megaliths (El Gavilán statues)
Región Autónoma del Atlántico Norte
Rich find of Pre-Columbian megalithic sculptures that were made from different materials – basalt, carbonate rock, and andesites. 13 intact sculptures and pieces of many more sculptures have been found here. Numerous mounds.
San Fernando petroglyphs
Río San Juan
Prehistoric petroglyphs that show people, monkeys, and parrots.
Architecture wonders
Museum of legends and myths, León
León
A unique museum of the rich Nicaraguan folklore that involves the existence of fantastic creatures, spirits, and possessed people. Located in the former prison.
Leon Cathedral of the Assumption
León
Beautiful cathedral in Baroque – Neo-Classicism style, constructed in 1747 – 1814. The largest church building in Central America that forms a part of the identity of Nicaragua. Numerous tunnels connect this cathedral to other buildings in the city.
The historical center of Granada
León
One of the most beautiful historical cities in Central America with some 376 historical buildings. Established in 1524 – one of the earliest European cities in America. The city is a historical rival of León – Managua is chosen as a capital city in order to settle the eternal fight for power between León and Granada.
San Francisco Church in Granada
León
Large and ornate convent church. The convent was founded in 1529 and was one of the first Christian missions in America.
Church of Recollection in León (Iglesia de la Merced)
León
A beautiful church, built in the Baroque style in the 18th century.
The historical center of León
León
In the central part of this colonial city have been preserved numerous ornate and interesting buildings in Castilian style. Founded in the present site in 1610, a university city since 1813.
Fortress of the Immaculate Conception
Río San Juan
The historical fortress at San Juan River, built on the border of the Atlantic rainforest and agricultural lands in the central part of Nicaragua. Constructed in 1673 to prevent the coming of pirates to Lake Nicaragua.
Recommended books
Nicaragua Handbook
Nicaragua’s ethereal beauty and anarchic charms make traveling in the country an intense adventure. From the tempestuous spine of volcanoes that run down to the vast Lake Nicaragua to the sultry rhythms of Caribbean life on the Corn Islands, Footprint’s Handbook will ensure you get the most from your trip with all the information you’ll need.
Moon Nicaragua
With Moon Nicaragua’s expert advice, myriad activities, and local insight, you can plan your trip your way.