For almost a millennium, the ancient ruins of
great architecture lay buried beneath the jungle vegetation on the Yucatan Peninsula. Abandoned by
their creators these ancient temples and pyramids are a stunning reminder of a powerful civilization
that once ruled the people of Central America. Although the accomplishments of
the ancient Mayans are astonishing, no city would escape the inevitable collapse.
One by one they were swallowed by the rainforest leaving the amazing Mayan ruins
hidden, waiting to be discovered. Number 10. Lamanai. Located in northern Belize, Lamanai was
once a considerably sized Maya city. The ancient ruins are not completely uncovered
yet. Archaeological work has concentrated on the investigation and restoration of the larger
structures such as the High Temple, a 33 meter tall temple. Since it was still occupied by the
Maya when the Spanish arrived, Lamanai, which in Maya means “submerged crocodile”, is one of the
few Mayan sites to retain its traditional name. Number 9. Coba. Coba in Mexico was a large ancient Maya city that
was home to about 50,000 inhabitants at its peak. Most of it’s monuments were built between 500
and 900 AD. New temples were built and old ones kept in repair until at least the 14th century
perhaps as late as the arrival of the Spanish. Coba contains several large temple pyramids,
the tallest is about 42 meters high. Today only a small portion of the site has been cleared
from the jungle and restored by archaeologists. Number 8. Copan. Located in western Honduras, Copán
was a relatively small Mayan city well-known for it’s remarkable series of portrait
stelae. The stelae and sculptured decorations of the buildings of Copán are some of the very
finest surviving art of ancient Mesoamerica. Some of the stone structures at Copán
date back to the 9th century BC. The city grew into one of the most
important Maya sites by the 5th century with more than 20,000 inhabitants but was
mysteriously abandoned a few centuries later. Number 7. Caracol. Siting high on a plateau, 500 meters above
sea level, Caracol is the largest Maya site in Belize. It was once one of the largest ancient
Maya cities, covering some 168 square kilometers. At its peak around 650 AD it had an
estimated population of about 150,000, more than twice as many people as Belize
City has today. With a hight of 43 meters, the largest pyramid in Caracol is still the
tallest man-made structure in all of Belize. Number 6. Tulum. An hours’ drive from Cancun, the Tulum ruins
are the remains of an ancient cliff top fortress built by the Mayans. Walled on three sides
with the fourth open to the Caribbean Sea, the views are simply incredible.
Even though it dates back to 564 AD, Tulum was at its prime during the 13th and 14th
centuries. It was a powerful trading hub for jade, cotton, and cacao beans. Apart from the
El Castillo pyramid, the main attraction, have a look at the beautiful mural
inside the Temple of the Frescoes and go for a swim at Tulum’s secret beach,
surrounded by palm trees and sunbathing iguanas. Number 5. Calakmul. Hidden inside the jungles of the Mexican state
of Campeche, Calakmul is one of the largest Maya cities ever uncovered. Calakmul was a powerful
city that challenged the supremacy of Tikal and engaged in a strategy of surrounding
it with its own network of allies. From the second half of the 6th century AD
through to the late 7th century Calakmul gained the upper hand although it failed
to extinguish Tikal’s power completely. Eventually both cities succumbed
to the spreading Maya collapse. Number 4. Palenque. Rising from the dense jungle, Palenque is an
archaeological site that was located on the western edge of the Maya civilization in
the present-day state of Chiapas, Mexico. Palenque is much smaller than
some of it Mayan neighbor cities, but it contains some of the finest architecture
and sculptures the Maya ever produced. Most structures in Palenque date from about 600 AD
to 800 AD including the Temple of Inscriptions, the only Mesoamerican pyramid
built as a funerary monument. Number 3. Uxmal. Uxmal, meaning “built three times”
in the Mayan language, is one of the best preserved Mayan sites in Mexico. The most
recognizable and tallest structure at 115 feet is the Pyramid of the Magician. The layers of the
temple pyramid are oval unlike the rectangular or square layers of other Mayan pyramids. The
pyramid appears to have been built in five phases, starting from the sixth century continuing
periodically through the 10th century. Number 2. Tikal. With its grey temple-tops protruding through
the lush canopy of the Guatemalan jungle, catching a glimpse of the ruins of Tikal
is something truly special. A popular day trip from Flores, these remote ruins are dotted
with pyramids, temples and palaces. One of the biggest archaeological sites in Mesoamerica,
Tikal was the largest and most powerful of the Mayan cities around 600 AD. Don’t miss the
Temple of the Two Headed Snake while you’re here. As one of the tallest pre-Columbian
structures in the Western Hemisphere, climbing to the top will treat you to incredible
360-degree views of the rainforest and beyond. Number 1. Chichen Itza. One of the most famous
archaeological sites on Earth, Chichen Itza was once a thriving
city on the Yucatan Peninsula. Built by the Mayans in 600 AD, it was abandoned in
1221 when Mayapan became the region’s new capital. Highlights include the Temple of Kukulkan, a giant
stone pyramid with four stairways representing a compass and 365 steps for each day of the year. It
is best visited during the spring or fall equinox when the sun creates a light show on the stairs
of the pyramid. Other must-see sites include the Ball Court, the Wall of Skulls, and the Sacred
Cenote that was once a site of human sacrifice. Video source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2B0WuJegfY
