The Mapa en Relieve — the Relief Map of Guatemala — is one of the most remarkable objects in Central America: a massive outdoor topographical model of the entire country, covering 1,800 square metres in a park in Zona 2. Built in 1904, the map shows every mountain, river, valley, and coastal feature of Guatemala in three dimensions, with the vertical scale exaggerated to make the mountainous terrain dramatically visible.
The map is best appreciated from the elevated viewing platforms on either side, which let you survey the whole country from above and identify the major features: the two mountain ranges, the Pacific lowlands, the volcanic chain, and the Petén jungle in the north. The detail is extraordinary — individual volcanoes, towns, and river systems are identifiable. It's an unusual and genuinely engaging attraction, off the main tourist circuit but worth the short taxi ride from Zona 1.