Inside Uxmal, the Puuc jewel hidden in Yucatán’s hills

As explorer John Lloyd Stephens wrote successful “Incidents of Travel successful Yucatán” (1843), “It stood successful its suit of somber gray.” He and his companion, illustrator Frederick Catherwood, were seeing Uxmal for the archetypal time, an past Maya metropolis abandoned a millennium earlier. Their accounts are amongst the fewer precious sources for knowing the exploration of Uxmal during the 19th century, a clip erstwhile technology, subject and geopolitics were rapidly transforming the world.

There is simply a happening oregon 2 that marque Uxmal 1 of the astir distinctive expressions of the Puuc architectural style. In opposition with different magnificent Maya buildings, specified arsenic the main constructions of Chichén Itzá oregon Tikal, the tone of the Soothsayer’s Temple (Pirámide del Adivino) feels astir mystical and, astatine the hazard of sounding redundant, magical. This is simply a tract that has enchanted each traveler who steps onto its ever-growing carpet of grass.

What we cognize astir Uxmal

The House of the Governor successful Uxmal is simply a masterpiece of Puuc design. (Norbysea/Unsplash)

Uxmal lies successful the occidental portion of Yucatán, astir 80 kilometers southbound of Mérida. It is considered the astir typical tract of Puuc architecture, which flourished astir betwixt 800 and 1,100 C.E. Yet archaeological grounds shows earlier occupations: 1 astir 300 C.E. and different astir 700 C.E. It was the last signifier of the city, the 1 that produced its astir iconic monuments. Such buildings proceed to impressment some locals and overseas visitors today.

Exploring Uxmal tin consciousness overwhelming, but lone due to the fact that the metropolis preserves endless secrets for those who look closely. As with each large architectural wonders, each engraving and each chromatic seems meticulously placed — sometimes for structural reasons, sometimes for symbolic meaning. From its interior corbel arches to its ornate façades, each country has thing to say.

Three Times Founded

The root of Uxmal’s sanction remains uncertain, but galore studies suggest it means “Three Times Founded” oregon “Three Times Harvested” successful Yucatec Mayan. The sanction perchance refers to the city’s repeated resettlements during centuries of rivalry betwixt Maya city-states.

Another imaginable meaning of the connection Uxmal is “Future”. The sanction proves to beryllium right, arsenic the site, its soundless chromatic monuments and its majestic architecture look to ever beryllium waiting, sitting successful anticipation for aboriginal eyes to beryllium laid upon them and caller minds to decipher their hidden messages.

Uxmal’s buildings

Uxmal is known for its remarkably preserved buildings, among the finest successful the Maya world. The main quality of the tract is, of course, the Soothsayer’s Temple, a 35-meter pyramid with an antithetic oval base. It consists of 5 superimposed temples built astatine antithetic moments, a communal contented successful Mesoamerican ineffable architecture. The operation was apt dedicated to Chaac, the Maya Lord of Rain and Thunder, to whom galore Uxmal temples look to wage homage.

Before the pyramid stands the Cuadrángulo de las Monjas (Quadrangle of the Nuns), named by the Spanish conquistadors for its convent-like layout. But, from what we cognize now, it apt functioned arsenic a palace oregon administrative analyzable — the Maya were particularly fond of enclosed courtyards.

The Quadrangle of the Nuns successful Uxmal is different illustration of Puuc architectural artistry. (José Pablo Domínguez/Unsplash)

The House of the Governor, 1 of the masterpieces of Puuc design, features exquisitely carved façades. The alleged “elephant trunks,” erstwhile misinterpreted by aboriginal explorers, are really stylized masks of Chaac. On the different hand, the chromatic carvings that Empress Charlotte mistook for the biblical devil successful the guise of a snake amusement is really 1 of the astir important deities of the Mesoamerican pantheon. Called Quetzalcoatl by the Nahua radical of cardinal Mexico, and Kukulkan by the Maya, the lord of light, instauration and contented is simply a deity worshipped each implicit Mesoamerica, and, needless to say, it is not related to a devil of immoderate kind.

Like galore travelers whose hearts stay tied to these ruins, Stephens and Catherwood returned respective times. “The ruins of Uxmal presented themselves to maine arsenic a home,” Stephens aboriginal wrote, “and I looked upon them with much involvement than before.”

Your visit

If Uxmal is connected your bucket list, here’s what you should cognize earlier you go:

How to get there: The easiest way is to thrust from Mérida, though ADO buses besides depart from the city’s main terminal.

Weather: Expect vigor and prima year-round; bring a hat, sunscreen and plentifulness of water.

Entry fees: Visitors indispensable wage 2 abstracted fees: 1 to the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) and different to the State of Yucatán. 

A signature corbel arch successful Uxmal. (José Pablo Domínguez/Unsplash)

Time needed: Given the size of the site, acceptable speech astatine slightest 3 hours for the visit.

Post scriptum for explorers

In lawsuit you person the adventurer expertise of Stephens and Catherwood, Uxmal indispensable not look to beryllium a challenging visit. There are different sites connected the Puuc way that are worthy visiting: Kabah, Sayil, Xlapak and Labná.

Although the architectural resemblance is undeniable, each 1 has its ain property and exposes antithetic aspects of the Maya cities of the moment. In opposition with Uxmal, these sites inactive person a batch of archaeological enactment to beryllium done. The upside is that they are besides little crowded and tin beryllium explored astatine a slower pace.

Lydia Leija is simply a linguist, writer and ocular storyteller. She has directed 3 diagnostic films, and her audiovisual enactment has been featured successful nationalist and planetary media. She’s been portion of National Geographic, Muy Interesante and Cosmopolitan.