https://www.livescience.com/planet-earth/geology/el-cono-the-mysterious-sacred-pyramid-hidden-deep-in-the-amazon-rainforest [] Skip to main content (*) ( ) Open menu Close menu Live Science [ ] Search Search Live Science [ ] Sign in * * View Profile * Sign out RSS Sign up to our newsletter Newsletter * * Space * Health * Planet Earth * Animals * Archaeology * Physics & Math * Technology * Human Behavior * Chemistry * More + Science news + Life's Little Mysteries + Science quizzes + About us + Newsletter + Follow us + Story archive Trending * Aquarids meteor shower peaks * Soviet satellite to tumble to Earth * La Nina is dead * Mystery discovery on volcanic hilltop * Planet nine candidate 1. Planet Earth 2. Geology El Cono: The mysterious sacred 'pyramid' hidden deep in the Amazon rainforest Features By Sascha Pare published 2 May 2025 Cerro El Cono is a solitary, pyramidal hill in the Peruvian Amazon rainforest whose origins remain mysterious and that holds spiritual significance for Indigenous people. * * * * * * * Comments ( 0 ) () When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here's how it works. Aerial view of Cerro El Cono in the Peruvian Amazon rainforest. There are mountains in the background. Cerro El Cono is isolated from a nearby mountain range and has an unusual shape. (Image credit: Newscom/Alamy) QUICK FACTS Name: Cerro El Cono, also known as "Montana Conica" Location: Sierra del Divisor, Peruvian Amazon rainforest Coordinates: -7.963010971488621, -73.78224313086483 Why it's incredible: El Cono stands alone in the rainforest and has a mysterious pyramidal shape. Cerro El Cono is a 1,310-foot-tall (400 meters), pyramid-like formation in the Amazon rainforest. It rises steeply from the relatively flat jungle landscape of eastern Peru, making it visible from as far west as the Andes -- 250 miles (400 kilometers) away -- on a clear day. The formation, whose name translates to "cone hill," is located in a mountainous region on the border between Peru and Brazil known as the Sierra del Divisor. The mountains are visible in the background of most photographs of Cerro El Cono, but the formation is isolated from the other peaks and has an unusual pyramidal shape, making it stand out from the rest of the mountain range. The origins of the strange peak have remained mysterious due to its remote location. While some sources suggest that the cone could be an extinct volcano, others say it might simply be an unusual rock formation. Related: Mount Roraima: The 'lost world' isolated for millions of years that Indigenous people call the 'house of the gods' Indigenous people have another explanation for the bizarre mountain: According to the Peruvian newspaper La Republica, Cerro El Cono is a spiritual entity for local tribes and groups, some of which revere the peak as an "Andean Apu" -- a sacred mountain god or spirit. In the mythologies of Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador, Apus emerged from Earth to guide and protect the people living close by. A fourth explanation -- one for which there is no evidence -- is that Cerro El Cono sits on the ruins of a pyramid built by ancient Indigenous tribes, according to La Republica. MORE INCREDIBLE PLACES --Iran's folded rocks: The crumpled mountains at the intersection of Asia and Europe --Wilkes Land crater: The giant hole in East Antarctica's gravitational field likely caused by a meteorite --Rainbow Mountains: China's psychedelic landscape created when 2 tectonic plates collided Cerro El Cono stands adjacent to the Ucayali River, which is a major tributary of the Amazon River. The surrounding jungle is a biodiversity hotspot and home to several vulnerable species, including giant armadillos (Priodontes maximus), jaguars (Panthera onca) and various types of monkeys, according to The Guardian. The peak itself is forested and forms part of a large area that has been considered a biodiversity conservation priority since the 1990s. Sign up for the Live Science daily newsletter now Get the world's most fascinating discoveries delivered straight to your inbox. [ ][ ]Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands[ ]Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors[Sign me up] By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. Concern that this ecosystem may become degraded by infrastructure, illegal logging and gold mining prompted the creation of the Sierra del Divisor National Park in 2015. But recent surveys indicate that the protected park, which is 1.5 times the size of Yellowstone National Park, has not removed threats from illegal deforestation and wildlife poaching. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Discover more incredible places, where we highlight the fantastic history and science behind some of the most dramatic landscapes on Earth. TOPICS incredible places Amazon rainforest biodiversity Sascha Pare Sascha Pare Social Links Navigation Staff writer Sascha is a U.K.-based staff writer at Live Science. She holds a bachelor's degree in biology from the University of Southampton in England and a master's degree in science communication from Imperial College London. Her work has appeared in The Guardian and the health website Zoe. Besides writing, she enjoys playing tennis, bread-making and browsing second-hand shops for hidden gems. You must confirm your public display name before commenting Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name. Logout More about geology Yellowstone holds potentially untapped cache of 'carbon-free' helium for rockets, reactors and superconductors Iran's folded rocks: The crumpled mountains at the intersection of Asia and Europe Latest Archaeologists unearth tree-lined walkway that led to ancient Egyptian fortress in Sinai Desert See more latest Most Popular Four views of a gold-covered figurine in the shape of a woman. She holds a shield and a sword and wears her hair in a ponytail. 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