El Fósil: A Window to the Cretaceous Period

El Fósil museum, located a few kilometers outside Villa de Leyva, is a unique destination for those interested in paleontology and natural history. The museum's centerpiece is the fossil of a Kronosaurus boyacensis, a pliosaur that lived during the Cretaceous period, approximately 110 to 115 million years ago. This particular specimen is celebrated as the most complete pliosaur fossil ever discovered. The fossil was discovered in 1977 by local farmers working in the area, and the museum was built around it to preserve and educate about the find. The Kronosaurus skeleton stretches about 7 meters in length. The museum also displays a collection of smaller marine fossils, including ichthyosaurs and ammonites, providing a broader view of the region's prehistoric marine ecosystem. Visiting El Fósil offers a fascinating look into a time when the area around Villa de Leyva was a shallow coastal sea teeming with marine life. The museum is community-run, adding a unique local touch to the experience.