Tulum. Located 128 km (82 mi) south of Cancun on
Highway 307. This was one of the main cities that the Mayans built near the
ocean. Currently it is a national park with an expanse of 644 hectares (1,590
acres). The ruins stretch 6 km (3.5 mi) along the coast, and the grounds include
lodging facilities, a modern mall with Mayan-like architecture and designs, and
several restaurants where you can enjoy the region’s traditional cuisine. Among
the must-see Mayan structures are: el Castillo (The Castle), el Templo del Dios
Descendente (The Temple of the Descending God), el Templo de los Frescos (The
Temple of the Frescos) and El Templo del Viento (The Temple of the Wind).
Tulum sits on the edge of a cliff facing looking out over
the vast turquoise ocean. No wonder Tulum is one of the
most-visited Mayan ruins in Mexico -it truly is one of the most
magical places on Earth.
Tulum is located 82 miles south of Cancun on the east coast of
the Yucatan Peninsula on the edge of the Caribbean Sea and was
formerly know by the name Zama, meaning City of Dawn.
Tulum - the walled city
Tulum is also the ancient Maya word for ‘wall’. This is apt
because the walls surrounding the site allowed the fort in Tulum
to be used as a defense against invasion. Tulum was protected on
one side by steep sea cliffs and on the other by a wall that
averaged about three to five meters in height. The wall was
about eight meters thick and 400 meters long on the side
parallel to the sea. This shows how important defense was to the
Mayan people. There are also small structures used as watch
towers showing again how well defended the city would have been.
El Castillo (the Castle)
El Castillo stands some 7.5 meters tall and has a small shrine
which appears to have been used as a beacon for incoming canoes.
This shrine marks a break in the barrier reef that is opposite
the site. Right below El Castillo there is a cove and landing
beach in a break in the sea cliffs that would have been perfect
for trading canoes coming in. This characteristic of the site is
probably one of the reasons the Maya founded the city of Tulum
here in the first place, for later Tulum would become a very
prominent trading port.
El Castillo as well as the Temple are decorated with figures of
the Mayan ‘diving god’. You see stuccos and figurines of this
god all around Tulum. He was associated with the god of the bees
and to the planet Venus, guardian of the coast and of commerce.
Many ancient murals are visible, some vivid enough to make you
wonder how recently the Maya actually left this amazing place.
Tours to Tulum
Its naturally beautiful surroundings, easy access and daily
tours to Tulum from Cancun and the Riviera Maya have made it the
third most visited Mayan archaeological site in Mexico, after
Teotihuacan, and Chichen Itza.
Tulum, Riviera Maya, Mexico
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