Uxmal is an ancient maya city of the classical period, located in the Mexican State of Yucatán, 78 km south of Mérida and 15 km southeast of Muna. The name means ‘Three times built’. Governed by competent leaders and stimulated by an alliance of short duration with Chichen Itza, it had an apogee of 150 years (800 to 950 ad). Built in Puuc style architecture which is characterized by very stripped lower and worked most top-level facades. The main buildings are the Pyramid of the Seer or magician, the Quadrilateral of the nuns, the Governor’s Palace and the House of turtles, dedicated to the God of rain (Chac). The ruins have been restored and maintained carefully, but to reconstruct its history, there are available ethnohistorical sources that must be interpreted with caution and we have insufficient archaeological data.Most of the buildings were built with stones carefully carved, thus avoiding the use of plaster. Thanks to its state of conservation, it is one of the few Mayan cities where a tourist can have a good idea of what might look like an ancient ceremonial center in its entirety. Maya architecture is elegant and beautiful. Two hotels and a small museum were built next to the ruins of the ancient city.
Tips
You can take a guided day trip in your language at your hotel reception or if you prefer, hire a car to take all of your time and make the visit freely.
Enjoy the spectacle of lights on the site in the evening. The entrance to the site includes the evening lights. The ruins close at 5 pm then if you do not drive, you must consider to pay a taxi or a tuc tuc (kind of economic vehicle driven by a local person with which you arrange a fixed price for a round trip).
If your budget is tight and you visit Mexico with your backpack, there is the small town of Santa Elena, 15 km from the site, with economic places to spend one or two nights to enjoy a full day at the ruins and continue your way after. You can go by bus, the bus Campeche-Merida, takes you to Uxmal.
