Plaza The Pacific Slope

At the archaeological site of Monte Alto, on the outskirts of La Democracia, huge basalt heads and pot-bellied sculptures have been discovered, probably dating from around 500BC. These heads resemble crude versions of the colossal heads that were carved by the Olmecs on Mexico's southern Gulf Coast some centuries previously. Today, these great Olmecoid heads are arranged around La Democracia's main plaza, set in their own little roofed stands and illuminated at night.