Morgan Freeman Visits Mirador National Park - "The First of the Eight Wonders of the World" - Shines Light on Guatemala's May

Morgan Freeman, producer and renowned Academy Award winning actor, visited the pre-Columbian Mayan settlement of El Mirador, located in the northern region of Petén, Guatemala. While there, he encouraged the public to visit the destination to see its impressive ancient Mayan structures, among them El Mirador, that he referred to as "the first of the eight wonders of the world."

"If you want an experience, don't go to Stonehenge, don't go to the great pyramids (Keops... Giza)... Come to Guatemala and see this," said Freeman in a video while taking a break at the archaeological site of El Mirador, a UNESCO World Heritage site located within the northern region of the Petén jungle.

To see Morgan Freeman’s Trip to Mirador, see the video.

Known as the heart of the Mayan world, Mirador National Park is home to the largest and most impressive representations of early Mayan civilization. El Mirador is one of these structures that is home to the great pyramid La Danta, the tallest in Mayan history that measures approximately 230 ft. tall.

Morgan Freeman at the Popul Vu Frieze at Mirador National Park. Photo: PensaLibre

Abandoned nearly 2,000 years ago, this pyramid is heavier than the great pyramid at Giza with over 99 million cubic feet of rock and fill. Archaeologists calculate that as many as 15 million days of manual labor were spent on building La Danta.

Known for his performances in films like Driving Miss Daisy, The Shawshank Redemption, Million Dollar Baby and Batman Begins, the adventurous actor traveled with his daughter, Deena Adair, to Petén where they began their trek first to Tikal, and then to El Mirador.  

Freeman's interest in science and nature is well known throughout several appearances narrating documentaries such as Island of Lemurs, March of the Penguins and Through the Wormhole.

"When I was in middle school I learned about Mayan culture but reading about something and then being able to actually visit it, see it and touch it, it's a totally different experience. It's almost life changing... because life is real," added Freeman.

For coverage of Mirador on CNN – see the video.

Morgan Freeman and Dr. Richard Hansen of FARES at Tikal. Photo: Prensa Libre