Mayan Ruins of the Yucatan Peninsula, Part 1

admin — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 16:03:01 +0000

The Yucatan Peninsula is on of the worlds most famous archaeological sites. It is filled with the enchanting colonial cities, romantic haciendas and resorts. This area is a real cultural heritage, however, most of the visitors are attracted by the beautiful beaches, distinct cuisine and amazing Mayan ruins. These ruins can be found throughput the whole area and most visitors come to the Yucatan Peninsula in order to admire and explore these remainings of one of the greatest civilization in the world.
I will do my best to present you some of the most popular architectural sites I have had the opportunity to see during my stay in the Yucatan Peninsula. To begin with Chichen Itza. The name of this site actually means “the edge of the well of the Itzaes”. For ages this was the political, religious and military center of the North of the Yucatan Peninsula. It is divided into “old” and “new” Chichen due to the fact that it has been abandoned in the history, so two different cultures has been building it. Some of the most visited buildings are the Castillo, or “Castle,”which is dedicated to Kukulkan. It is especially interesting on the fall and spring equinox the sun strikes the side of the building making a play of light and shadow which appears as a snake along the steps of the building. Another interesting site is Temple of the Warriors, where hundreds of columns surround a massive temple structure carved with reliefs. And another thing I would like to point out is the Great Ballcourt which is the largest in Mesoamerica. The acoustics of the ballcourt are remarkable: a whisper from one end can be clearly heard at the other.
Another famous Mayan ruin is Mayapan, or in translation Mayan flag. In the history, this was the most important place after the fall of Chichen Itza. It is considered the last great Mayan stronghold. On the zone that covers 4 square km there are nearly 4000 structures, mostly residential buildings. Some of the constructions there contain mural paintings from the Mayan time. Here, in Mayapan there is also Castillo, but this one is actually replica of the one in Chichen Itza.

Uxmal - Mexico

The most important site of the Puuc region is Uxmal. There are two interpretations of the name of this place and they are “Three harvests” or “Three times built”. According to the legend, dwarf outwitted the king, became the new ruler and magically constructed the buildings of Uxmal and that is how the city was founded. On the site dominates the Pyramid of the Dwarf, this pyramid is also known as the Pyramid of the Magician.
Furthermore, we come to the site which original name is unknown, so it was called El Rey, meaning the king, due to the stone sculpture that was found on-site. This stone can be seen on exhibit in the Cancun Archaeology Museum. This site has 47 ancient structures that formed center of the small trade and fishing village.

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Mayan Ruins of the Yucatan Peninsula, Part 2

admin — Sat, 17 Apr 2010 18:06:58 +0000

Mayan Ruins continued – 35 miles south of Cancun there is a leading commercial port known as Xcaret, or “Little inlet”. This is an eco-park that encloses a small Mayan archaeological zone. On the northern part of Cozumel island there is the largest of 30 Maya sites found on this island, known as San Gervasio. In the past it was economical and political center of the island, and what is more interesting it was the sanctuary of the Mayan moon goddess Ixchel. It is assumed that the entire Mayan world may have come to worship her.
Coba, or Ruffled water, which is what its name means, was built around four lakes. More than 6000 structures have been covered there and it is assumed that only few have been left uncovered. To the tourists the most interesting thing in Coba and mostly the reason of their visit is the Nohuch Mul Pyramid. This is the tallest pyramid in the area with 120 steps, and if you are not afraid of heights, climb up and enjoy the breathtaking view.

Coba in Mexico

Another interesting site is Xel-Ha. This name actually means “where the water is born” when you know that fact it won’t be surprising to hear that it is a water park with ruins on-site. Unfortunately, archaeological zone is only partially excavated. In the past, people use to come here to honor a variety of gods. Xel-ha was one of several key ports of the Maya city of Coba and it was likely used as a point of intercultural exchange between the Maya and other sea-navigating peoples.
I have decided to leave the best for the end. Something that really took my breath away and something I couldn’t wait to see is the Tulum. It is located on 12-meter (39 ft) cliffs overlooking the brilliant turquoise waters of the Caribbean Sea.

The Tulum means wall and refers to the fact that Tulum was a walled city, protected on one side by a wall of about 12 feet in height steep and on the other by cliffs facing the sea. In Temple of the Frescoes there are original Mayan frescoes that are in blue-green and outlined in black. These brilliant frescoes are really breathtaking, you won’t believe how amazing they are until you see it yourself. They are depicting Mayan gods and religious motifs. Except from the frescoes, there is so called El Castillo, or the Castle, which is the tallest building of the Tulum. Its function has never been fully discovered, but many believe that it has functioned as a navigational aid.
I hope that I have managed to satisfy your appetite for knowledge about some of the most important Mayan ruins on the Yucatan Peninsula and that my experiences have induced you to come to Mexico and see all these miracles by yourself.

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City In Mexico » Mayan ruins

Mayan Ruins of the Yucatan Peninsula, Part 1

Mayan Ruins of the Yucatan Peninsula, Part 2