Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Tikal's Gran Jaguar temple
InGuatemala,notonlycanyouseetheancientwondersoftheMayancivilization
long before the arrival of the Spanish, but also the Postclassic highland ceremo-
nial sites that greeted the conquistadors upon their arrival in 1524.
You'll find most of the Mayan ceremonial sites that were at their cultural
zenith during these time periods in the country's northern Petén region. Among
thelargestandmostsophisticatedcitiesfromthePreclassicperiodis
El Mirador,
which flourished between 200 B.C. and A.D. 150. No self-respecting archae-
ology buff would come to Guatemala without visiting the ruins of
Tikal,
at the
center of a 575-square-kilometer (222-square-mile) national park protecting the
historical site and surrounding rainforest ecosystem. Farther north is the interest-
ing astronomical observatory at
Uaxactún.
West of Tikal are the sites of
Nakum
and
Yaxhá,
the latter of
Survivor Guatemala
fame.
Realhistorybuffsmightwanttocheckouttheceremonialsitesfoundandsub-
jugated bytheSpanish atthetime oftheconquest, thuscompleting thepicture of
Guatemala's pre-Columbian archaeological heritage. When the Spanish arrived
in Guatemala, they first secured an alliance with the Kaqchikel, who had their
capital in
Iximché
in Guatemala's Western Highlands. The Spanish would even-
tuallyestablishtheirfirstcapitalonthesamesite.Youcanvisittherestoredruins
ofIximché, veryconveniently situated justafewkilometers fromthePan-Amer-
ican Highway about an hour from Guatemala City.
