View source for Xetulul Theme Park

{{Short description|Theme park in Guatemala}}
{{Infobox amusement park
| name = Xetulul Theme Park
| image = [[File:Xetulul Guatemala.jpg|400px]]
| caption = View of the Xetulul Theme Park
| resort = {{flagicon|Retalhuleu}} [[Retalhuleu Department]], {{flagicon|Guatemala}} [[Guatemala]]
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| operator = IRTRA
| opening_date = {{Start date|df=y|2002|6|29}}
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| visitors = 1,000,000
| area =
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| status = Operating
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'''Xetulul''' is a [[theme park]] in [[Guatemala]]. It is located in the [[Retalhuleu Department]] in the southwest of the country. Opening in 2002,<ref name="Moon Handbooks">{{cite book |title= Moon Handbooks Guatemala |last= Argueta |first= Al |year=2007 |publisher= Avalon Travel |isbn=978-1-59880-057-9 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ype3ly6dl20C }}</ref> Xetulul is the third-largest amusement park in [[Latin America]], after [[Beto Carrero World]] in [[Penha, Santa Catarina|Penha]], [[Santa Catarina (state)|Santa Catarina]], [[Brazil]] and [[Six Flags México]] near [[Mexico City]], [[Mexico]].<ref name="Istmo Thesis">{{Cite thesis |degree= Business Administration |title= Caracterización de la Gastronomía del Departamento de Retalhuleu |url= http://glifos.unis.edu.gt/digital/tesis/2005/15317.pdf |last=  Morales |first= María Gabriela Higueros |year= 2006 |publisher= Universidad del Istmo }}</ref> Xetulul is associated with the nearby [[Xocomil]] [[water park]], which opened in 1997, and together the two parks receive over one million visitors every year, making the parks the most popular tourist attraction in the country.<ref name="Moon Handbooks"/>
Xetulul and Xocomil are operated by the Institute for the Recreation of Guatemalan Private Industry Workers ([[IRTRA]])—a private company that operates several other parks in Guatemala, as well as nearby hotels and restaurants.<ref name="Moon Handbooks"/>
==Rides==
[[File:Avalancha Xetulul.jpg|thumb|left|Avalancha roller coaster]]
Xetulul features three [[roller coaster]]s: [[Avalancha (roller coaster)|Avalancha]], an eight-[[Roller coaster inversion|inversion]] [[steel roller coaster]] built by [[Intamin]], which (as of September 2018) is one of 15 roller coasters in the world to have eight or more inversions.<ref name="List of Coasters by Inversions">[https://rcdb.com/r.htm?order=-24&ot=2 RCDB list of roller coasters by number of inversions]</ref> Avalancha was also Latin America's largest roller coaster when it opened.<ref name="Moon Handbooks"/> Additionally, the park has [[Choconoy]], a smaller family roller coaster, and [[Ratón Feliz]], a junior roller coaster built in 2014.<ref name="Coaster Listing">[http://www.rcdb.com/5148.htm RCDB listing of roller coasters at Xetutúl] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100524040801/http://www.rcdb.com/5148.htm |date=May 24, 2010 }}</ref> Xetulul also features the only double-decker [[carousel]] in Central America.<ref name="Istmo Thesis"/>  Also within the park is the {{RailGauge|2ft|lk=on}} [[Narrow gauge railway|narrow-gauge]]<ref>[http://www.severn-lamb.com/lincoln.asp Severn Lamb - Lincoln model] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140210132454/http://www.severn-lamb.com/lincoln.asp |date=February 10, 2014 }}</ref> [[Transcostero]] train ride built by [[Severn Lamb]].
==Architecture and history==
[[File:Xetulul El Gran Jaguar, la Réplica crop.jpg|thumb|Replica of the Tikal Temple of the Great Jaguar]]
In addition to its [[amusement rides]], Xetulul is also known for its architecture. The park features architectural reproductions of many landmarks from across the world, including the [[Trevi Fountain]], [[Moulin Rouge]], and the [[Tikal]] [[Tikal Temple I|Temple of the Great Jaguar]].<ref name="Moon Handbooks"/> The park is divided into seven plazas, which feature architecture from a total of six countries, including [[France]], [[Germany]], [[Guatemala]], [[Italy]], [[Spain]], and [[Switzerland]]. Each national architecture style is featured in its own unique plaza.<ref name="Istmo Thesis"/>
The name "Xetulul" originates from the [[Kʼicheʼ language]], and means "under the [[sapote]]s".<ref name="Istmo Thesis"/> There are currently plans to expand Xetulul with the addition of a [[golf course]] and a convention center.<ref name="Moon Handbooks"/>
==References==
{{Reflist}}
==External links==
*[http://www.irtra.org.gt/ Official site]
{{Coord|14|35|41|N|91|36|42|W|type:landmark_source:kolossus-frwiki|display=title}}
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[[Category:Amusement parks in Guatemala]]
[[Category:2002 establishments in Guatemala]]
[[Category:Retalhuleu Department]]
[[Category:Amusement parks opened in 2002]]