Related Sponsors

Tikal Activities and Attractions

Home » Guatemala » Guatemala Activities and Attractions » Tikal Activities and Attractions

Tikal is maybe the most famous place in Guatemala. It is the most important and biggest city of the Mayan World. Tikal means City of Voices. It is located 350 miles north of Guatemala City and 14 miles from the Santa Elena airport. UNESCO declared Tikal a Cultural Heritage of Mankind in 1979. It is also featured in the Star Wars movies.

Tikal is a national park and has many varieties of trees and animals. It is about 275 square miles and you will need at least two days just to see the ruins.

The monumental Mayan ceremonial center at Tikal lies in jungle northwest of Flores, in El Petén. Towering pyramids rise above the jungle's green canopy, while down below howler monkeys swing noisily through the branches of ancient trees, colorful parrots squawk and dart, and tree frogs fill in the auditory gaps.

The steep-sided temples rise to heights of over 144feet, and although the undergrowth around them has been cleared, the dense rainforest canopy is not far away, making passage within the enigmatic site an unforgettable experience. The many ruins include plazas, an acropolis, pyramids, temples and a museum.

Temple 1 was built around 700 AD and is the most famous temple in Tikal. It is 150 feet high. Because of the deterioration of the three hundred steps that lead to the top this temple cannot be climbed anymore.

The features of Temple II are the drawings or graffiti covering the walls of the rooms, some done in the Classic Period, while other were done in the early Postclassical. Like Temple I, it was build around 700 A.D. It is 125 feet high, although it's original size could have been close to 140 feet.

Temple III or Temple of the Jaguar Priest name comes from a scene portrayed on a lintel within its rooms. It was build in the Late Classic times, around 810 A.D. It is 180 feet high.

At 212 feet, Temple IV is the highest standing ancient New World structure. It was built in 741.

Next Page: Guatemala City Activities and Attractions

Related Guatemala Activities and Attractions Articles