In the center of San Felipe, the past is hidden behind the elegant snow-white gates. This is a historical park with houses ruined by an earthquake.

The park is called San Felipe El Fuerte as a symbol of strength (fuerte means strong in Spanish) in the constant struggle waged by the inhabitants of this region of Guiana. Besides, the same name can be interpreted as the memory of the Spanish King Philip V, who was a strong and powerful monarch. During his reign, the Spanish economy began to recover significantly after the protracted crisis of the 17th century.

The park represents an archaeological area with the remains of colonial-era buildings, dated by the beginning of the 18th century. The survived parts of the buildings are located on about 10 hectares, surrounded by a lush tropical garden, fruit trees, picturesque herbs.

The city of the past preserved paved streets, the remains of important urban objects and buildings such as the main square, the church, the mayor’s house, the Capuchin monastery, the prison, the perimeter of the house with a cobbled floor.

Close to the church, you can see the main square with the sidewalks that come together in the center. The remains of the house with a cobbled hall can make it clear that the construction belonged to a rich family, as evidenced by the decoration of the hall. The walls of some buildings in the ancient city were built of stone and brick, connected with a special mortar. Research excavations carried out by an anthropologist Maria Urosa allowed identifying the relics of colonial-era people. About 400 bone fragments of 122 people were found here. However, their age and gender were not defined.

In 2004, the same anthropological team carried out a series of excavations on the park’s territory and also found the particles of local ceramics, carved stone, fragments of porcelain, metal, animal bones, bricks and tiles.