Take a trip to the ruins of an ancient Mayan temple complex and walk around palace grounds and structures designed to greet the morning sun.
The Edzná Ruins are a remarkable collection of archaeological sites on the Yucatán Peninsula. Translating to “House of the Itzás,” the complex was formerly an ancient Mayan city that housed as many as 25,000 people. Walk amid the ruins of the temple complex and imagine the ancient civilization that once thrived here. Stroll around the grounds and find towering platforms that radiate out from a spacious plaza, as well as a ball court, temples and spiritual sites. You might see the resemblance to the layout of Teotihuacán near Mexico City.
Enter the ruin site and begin exploring the temple complex. On your right, you’ll find the collection of structures known as the Platform of the Knives. Continue walking across the grassy field to the central Main Plaza. Look left to see the crumbling ruins of the Great Acropolis. The pyramid-like platforms of the Building of Five Storeys rise to a tapered tip, flanked by ancient stone bleachers known as the House of the Moon and the Puuc Patio. You might be able to see the weathered carvings in the stucco-clad stairs.
This plaza complex faces toward the eastern cardinal point, which was deeply significant to the Maya. Designed to greet the morning sun, the Great Acropolis would have been used by powerful religious and spiritual leaders for sunrise ceremonies. Find the Small Acropolis to the south of the complex. Check out the three buildings that top the base platform, which overlook the Temple of the Masks. Spot the stucco masks on the base of the Temple of Masks they have survived the ages and still retain the remnants of red and blue paint. Visit after dusk to experience the nightly light show on display at the ruins.
The Edzná Ruins is about an hour’s drive from the city of Campeche and can be reached via the local colectivo bus. Organize private transportation and tours of the ruins from Campeche. There is an admission fee to access the site.
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