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tThe ruined city reached its height between 1000 and 1400 AD over an area of 120 hectares. The archeological has evidence of the extensive use of obsidian and metals such as copper and gold. Constructions at the site include a Mesoamerican ballcourt, the Plaza of the Altars, the Plaza of Day and Night and the Plaza of Time. Stairwells on pyramid bases often have glyphs similar to those found in central Mexico which may have a calendar function.
Liberty Garden
The historic center of the city revolves around life in this square which fills with the sounds of music and is surrounded by bars and restaurants. It has a kiosk in the center, brought from Belgium in 1891, surrounded by palms and leafy trees and bushes. It is a pleasant place to sit and people-watch. It often hosts live music on weekends.
Parque Hidalgo
Dedicated to Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla. This square contains an equatorial sundial which is exact. It was designed by Julio Mendoza and contains explanations in several languages.
Large and lively park with manicured gardens, wide paved walking paths, fountains and monuments. Lots of benches to sit and people watch. Many food and drink vendors, particularly on weekends when families come out.
Popular park known for a huge slab of volcanic rock that people can slide down. Playgrounds with slides and other equipment, but much of it is in poor repair so exercise parental supervision and inspect it before letting kids loose to play on their own. The park has a rather grim monument and memorial to "disappeared" people and is bedecked with posters seeking information about lost loved ones.
Museo Regional de Historia de Colima
The ground floor has a number of archeological pieces along with a replica of a shaft tomb, which is characteristic of the region. It recreates the burial of several peoples along with their belongings and Mexican hairless dogs (Xolos), which were thought to be guides to the next world. The upper floor contains documents and other objects which narrates the history of the state from the Conquest to the Mexican Revolution.
State Capitol
It is a two-story buildings in French Neoclassical design. It was built between 1877 and 1906 and designed by Lucio Urbe. It features three facades on three sides of a block. One façade contains a bell, which is a replica of the one Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla rang in Dolores Hidalgo and a clock brought over from Germany. Inside, the building has two courtyards and wide corridors. The main staircase showcases three fresco murals painted in 1953 by muralist Jorge Chávez Carrillo that features events from Mexican history with a strong tribute to Miguel Hidalgo, the father of Mexican independence.