Templo del Fuego

Above our heads only the blazing sun. It is hot as hell. A rhythmic pounding sounds through the thicket. Finally! We reach a huge sign-board made of stone, showing us the way to one of the most amazing attractions in Europe. The huge stone walls of Templo del Fuego are towering in front of us. We are at Port Aventura, Spain s largest amusement park at the Costa Dorada. The park is situated approx. 100 km south-east of Barcelona at the Mediterranean coast. A very special thing about this park is the outstanding level of theming and the impressing variety of attractions. One of the most exceptional attractions is Templo del Fuego (the temple of fire), a show captivating with pyrotechnical effects.

Attention! By reading this article, you will find out details about this attraction, which will direct the rage of Xiutecuhtlee upon you! Besides, it will mar the surprise.

Passing the huge sign-board to the left, a small path sidles deep inside the jungle-like vegetation. Some old tents and a lot of archaeologist equipment can be found at small glades in the jungle. A generator hidden in a locked wooden board chuggles a monotonous song and the feeble electric lights flicker synchronized. An old radio plays songs from the 30ies, which clangs ghostly under the rock roof of the temples vestibule. Huge wooden doors guard the entrance, where more and more people are gathering. In a small alcove on the side, some charred bodies and skeletons can be seen.

With a nearly noiseless clicking the wooden doors swing open and we enter the temple. We curiously look around the patio, which we just entered. A dark blue evening sky spreads above our heads. Wasn't it just afternoon a few minutes ago? Wooden scaffolding is build up next to a huge stone portal which is covered with hieroglyphic chars. Next to it, some Aztec effigies catch our views. An archaeologist is running about the scaffolding, telling us excited about her decryption of the inscription. We learn that the temple is dedicated to the fire god Xiutecuhtlee, who guards a holy treasure with his entire wrath. But how do we get inside the temple? "Pablo!" she shouts, as her fellow archaeologist is roping down the wall from a hole in the roof. A stick of dynamite in his hands, Pablo runs to the portal to open it with his so-called special key. But after a short discussion, he agrees to search for another way inside the temple. The inscription on the portal explains the use of three stone disks next to the portal, which must be rotated into the right position.

Rollicking, Pablo rotates the first stone disk. The lights begin to dim out and a wind starts to whistle. Unimpressed, Pablo rotates the second stone disk the other way round. The lights go out and we stand in pitch blackness, while gleaming eyes appear next to us and watch us suspiciously. Slowly, the lights come back and the lanterns illuminate again. We see Pablo shivering and crouching on the floor. Embarrassed, he realizes that he has been watched by the audience and jumps up again. Not so rollicking anymore, he turns the last stone disk. Blackness returns and the ghosts of some lost souls rise to the sky. Suddenly, a bolt of light illuminates the scene and we catch sight of the raging face of Xiutecuhtlee. A deep rumble sounds through the air and the huge stone portal slides to the side, opens the way inside the temple.

We follow Pablo into the temple. The audience positions on two stay bridges on one side of the inner room. We have an excellent view to the outsized graven image of Xiutecuhtlee, which awaits the raider with its mouth wide open and furiously watching eyes. A staircase leads towards the audience, disappearing into the water, which spreads over the whole ground. Pablo jumps on a pillar and a secret treasury opens at the opposite wall. He jumps from pillar to pillar, opening another treasury every time. The last pillar starts to sink into the water and Pablo reaches the graven image. Apparently, he searches for some larger treasure. Finally, the statue opens its huge mouth and Pablo disappears into it with a scream. The scream turns into a laughing and Pablo climbs out of the mouth with a little golden artefact in his hands. Showing us his real attitude, he claims the artefact for himself. Suddenly the sky turns red and a thudding rumble sounds from the statue. Xiutecuhtlee awoke. The eyes of the fire god statue now glare in a bright red colour and flames rise from the water down the stone staircase. Pablo tries to escape and heads downstairs into the water, but the heat is pushing him back to the statue. The staircase is splitting up in halves blazing up in flames. Pablo jumps into the mouth of the statue, where he stole the artefact, trying to escape the inferno.

IThe same moment, a huge fire ball shoots out of the mouth, immersing the whole temple into scorching heat. Even the ceiling above our heads is a blaze. Impaled bodies on long poles shoot out of the seething water. Virtually the whole room is on fire now. Another huge fire ball explodes out of the statue s mouth. The stay bridge suddenly sags several centimetres, all flames go out at once and we stand in complete darkness again. The light of a small lantern gleams in the darkness. The archaeologist calls for Pablo, but the only answer is a belch from Xiutecuhtlee s statue.

Another stone door opens and bowled over, we leave this cursed place... just to queue up again for this incredible attraction.

Templo del Fuego delights its visitors already for many years by the combination of show and attraction. The effects, from light design to acoustics, background music and the pyrotechnical effects convincing all along the line. The theming is complete and detailed. It is no surprise, that this high-priced attraction won a lot of awards, for example the "Best Attraction Thea Award 2003". By the way: It is worth to visit the templo del fuego several times. The live actors change from show to show and every actor has his or her own charm and esprit.