Mayan City Uxmal

Uxmal, by definition "Three times built" (referring to its antiquity and times it was rebuilt)  is an ancient Maya city of the classical period. Today it is one of the most important archaeological sites of Maya culture, along with those of Chichen Itza and Tikal. It is located in the Puuc region and is considered one of the Maya cities most representative of the region's dominant architectural style.

It is located 62 km south of Mérida, capital of Yucatán state in Mexico. Its buildings are noted for their size and decoration. Linking the buildings, as well as to other cities in the area such as Chichén Itzá and Tikal in modern-day Guatemala, are ancient roads left by the Maya called sacbes.

The buildings take advantage of the terrain to gain height and acquire important volumes, include the Pyramid of the Magician to your left, with five levels, and the Governor's Palace which covers an area of more than 1.200m² right below.

Legend says that it was built by a dwarf in a single night, even though in reality it was erected in 5 stages, and it was designed in such ways that the steps were facing the orient towards the sun for the summer solstice.

The Governors Palace is an excellent example of stone masonry, and very likely it was built by hundreds of workers and sculptors, it has beautiful sculptures of the God of Rain Chaac, serpents and astrological symbols. It is considered to be one of the most beautiful Mesoamerican construction for its style and proportions.

You can tell this was a royal type building by the emblem at the main entrance of the palace, even though the face is now day missing, but you can see the flock of feathers on top of where the head used to be and that was a sign of royalty.

Its buildings are typical of the Puuc style, with smooth low walls that open on ornate friezes based on representations of typical Maya huts, which are represented by columns (representing the reeds with which were built the walls of the huts) and trapezoidal shapes (representing the thatched roofs), entwined snakes and, in many cases two-headed snakes, masks of the rain god, Chaac with its big noses that represent the rays of the storms, and feathered serpents with open fangs leaving from the same human beings.

Also seen in some cities influences of Nahua origin and the follow of the cult of Quetzalcoatl and Tlaloc that were integrated with the original bases of the Puuc tradition.

A number of other temple-pyramids, quadrangles, and other monuments, some of significant size, and in varying states of preservation, are also at Uxmal. These include North Long Building, House of the Birds, House of the Turtles, Grand Pyramid, House of the Doves ( to the left), and South Temple.

The majority of hieroglyphic inscriptions were on a series of stone stelae unusually grouped together on a single platform. The stelae depict the ancient rulers of the city, and they show signs that they were deliberately broken and toppled in antiquity; some were re-erected and repaired.

The grounds that surround Uxmal allowed allowed for them to build "Chultunes", which were cisterns built by Mayan engineers, to store rain water since in this area cenotes didn't exist.

The soils were highly fertile for agriculture, in order to sustain the population which is believed to have been around 15,000 at its peek.

Well folks, I can continue giving you history on my wonderful sites, but I'm just going to let you enjoy the pictures and judge for yourself.

Please note, that Uxmal is considered a world heritage archaeological site, very magical and impressive.

Oh...on a side note...let me say that getting to Uxmal was another adventure!! Turns out....! Yesterday when I got back from the other ruins, I was a bit tired, and passed out longer then expected, well when I woke up and was planning on going out for dinner, I went to the parking structure where I keep the car, and guess what?  The damn place is locked down!  And the key I have to open the gate after hours...yup you guessed it, I left it inside the car since I was planning on going out again...so...I had no choice but to take the hour and a half ride on bus to Uxmal! Damn bus station was like 12 blocks from my room, so walking in the damn humidity made it for a fun soggy walk! Aghhh!

On a positive note, I met this Japanese gal that so happens did the same thing  did and left her over stressed job, so she can travel the glove, but this cute single petite Asian gal is a true globe trekker, she's been on the road for the past 4 months, and still going strong! She was leaving today to Palenque, working her way all the way down to Argentina and Peru...how awesome is that! Then she goes back to England (she lives there) before heading to China (her parents live there) and continuing her world travel...now that must be nice! In closing, we met up again at the same time when we were leaving, as we are waiting for the bus on the side of the road, the skies open up and it starts raining...what a fun day!! I LOVED IT ALL!!!

As you'll see on some of my pictures, there are remains all over the site, that seems they are currently re-building by sorting all the loose stones, it's amazing to know that there are still so many untouched ruins through out the Mayan empire.

Yes I eventually climbed it, my legs and ass are paying the price, those steps are easily a foot tall if not more, so that is one heck of a gluteus maximus workout!! 

This is part of  large Ballcourt for playing the Mesoamerican ballgame, which an inscription there informs us was dedicated in 901 by the ruler Chan Chak K'ak'nal Ajaw, also known as Lord Chac before the decipherment of his corresponding name glyphs.

You see, I made it to the top!! I was burning up!!! But it was a beautiful sight!

Some local wild life, known here as a Tolok, it's a type of iguana with the large crest and black tale, they have a motion of the head as if they were wobbling it up and down, aggressive of nature if they feel corned, which will bite or run away. 

More sites just in the middle of the jungle, who will win, nature or hundreds if not thousand year old buildings...

More unsorted stones, part of the buildings above.

Archaeology at its finest and in the raw.

These are some artifacts, sculptures, and codecs in the museum at the entrance of the ruins. 

These are who are called Mestizos (as), the women are wearing their traditional attire called a Huipil, and the gentleman is wearing the tradional Guayabera.