Uxmal

Uxmal (OOSH-mahl) means "'built three times" in the Mayan language, and though its name is a mystery, its beauty is not. As a World Heritage site, it is one of the best restored and maintained ruins in the Yucatan, and certainly one of the most magnificent. Its architecture, some of the most majestic of the Yucatan ruins, is characterized by low horizontal palaces set around courtyards, decorated with rich sculptural elements and details.

Uxmal was the greatest metropolitan and religious center in the Puuc hills in the late classical period. It thrived between the 7th and 10th century A.D. and its numerous architectural styles reflect a number of building phases.

Things To Do

Magician's Pyramid from the Governor's House

The Spanish gave it the name: Magician's Pyramid but the Mayan's the name: House of the Dwarf -- because they have a legend that it was built in one day by an enchanted dwarf.

This pyramid is unusual in that it is one of the only eliptical structures the Mayan's built.

You would never know it by looking at it, but this pyramid has in fact been rebuilt and added to five times in the course of its history (the Mayans often built newer temples on top of older ones - in a 52 year cycle, and it was considered bad luck to destroy the previous version).

Surviving wall of the Pigeon's Quadrangle

The Pigeon's Quadrangle (El Palomar) was once a quadrangle like the Nun's. One wall is all that is left of this structure.

You can see why it is named after pigeons. It has the look of a pigeon coop.

It is interesting that in Uxmal they have at least two similar constructions. The relationship between the Nun's Quadrangle and the Magician's Pyramid is matched by the Pigeon's Quadrangle and the Great Pyramid. I wonder if there were competing Mayan rulers using these two complexes.

One theory I read is that Uxmal was a city of Mayan holy men -- who did not care for war. There are very few war images in the stonework.

Great Pyramid

At Uxmal, tourists are allowed to climb the Great Pyramid (La Gran Pirámide). It is not too difficult -- in my opinion, most people will be able to climb Uxmal's Great Pyramid. (I forgot to count the number of steps).

As expected, the scenery from the top is fine! You can see most of the buildings on site, and in the Uxmal area, there are hills in the background as well. Only one side of the pyramid has been uncovered.

Nun's Quadrangle

The Spanish called this series of buildings the Nun's Quadrangle or Nun's Cloister (Cuadróngulo de las Monjas) because that is what the buildings reminded them of.

Each direction has a building with a series of rooms (74 in all), and there is an open courtyard in the centre. Each of the four buildings are at a different height above the courtyard, and the one side has steps big enough to be called seats, where you now sit to see the "Light and Sound show" each evening. You can go in any of the rooms, but all that live there now are birds (swallows?) who nest near the roof, and the odd iguana .

The Nun's Quadrangle was built during Lord Chak's reign (who is not the rain god Chaac -- this took me a while to comprehend), and was the last major piece of construction at Uxmal, which perhaps explains the wonderful shape of the building's carvings.

Ball Court

All Mayan communities seemed to have ball courts, although the game must have changed slightly from city to city, as the ball courts seem to be different sizes and depths.

It is hard to believe that one of the Uxmal ball court rings survived all these years. (They have a sign saying respect the carvings). The goals are located about 3 metres (10 feet) off the ground. Ballcourt rings are carved with religious images.

I read that the players have to move a rubber ball the size of a basketball using their hips, but not their feet. I'm having difficulty imagining scoring a goal on a ring 3 metres off the ground.