#yutacan

[backpackerstory-blog]

🌎 Yutacan, Mexico 📷@2pairsoflegs 

See more: http://backpackerstory.org/

[moderndaygallery]

La luz sobre su historia. #Museum #architecture #Light #Sunset #Yutacan (at Museo Palacio Cantón)

[theresah331]

Cobá is an ancient Mayan city nestled in the thick jungle of Quintana Roo state in Mexico. Its name means “water stirred by wind” in Mayan, an appropriate

[sheshopscookseatstravels]

Progreso, Uxmal

The first stop of the cruise is on Day 3 at Progreso, Yutacan. There, we booked a tour from a local tour agency to one of the three Mayan ruin sites nearby - Uxmal. 

The name Uxmal means 'thrice-built' in Mayan, referring to the construction of its highest structure, the Pyramid of the Magician. The Maya would often build a new temple over an existing one, and in this case five stages of construction have actually been found. Unusually built on an elliptical base, this pyramid is the result of five superimposed temples. Uxmal was one of the largest cities of the Yucatán peninsula, and at its height was home to about 25,000 Maya. 

The first structure u see at Uxmal is the Pyramid of the Magician. The Pyramid is 117 feet or 38m high. The Pyramid of the Magician legend held that when a certain gong was sounded, the town of Uxmal would fall to a boy "not born of woman". One day, a dwarf boy, who had been raised from an egg by a witch, sounded the gong which struck fear into the ruler, who responded by ordering the boy to be executed. The ruler promised that the boy's life would be saved if he could perform three impossible tasks, one of which was to build a giant pyramid in a single night. The boy achieved all the tasks and became the new ruler.

The front of the Pyramid of the Magician-

A close-up taken from afar

The back of the Pyramid of the magician

The Palace of the Governor - The structure has a typical Puuc architecture with plain lower section and a richly carved upper. Amongst the depictions are serpents, lattices and masks and also a central seated god-like figure with a long plumed head-dress.

Me sitting in one of the "holes" of the Palace of Governor u see above to hide from the scorchin sun.

Some of the memorable things about Uxmal:

Top of the list - A lot of very steep and narrow steps!!!!

2. we spotted many huge Iguanas

3. Mayan/ puuc architecture with the ornate carvings of sacred animals and symbols on the roofs