Temple of the Painted Niches (Templo de los Nichos Pintados)

The Temple of the Painted Niches, 97824 Yuc., Mexico

The Temple of Painted Niches in Mayapán, like many other buildings at this site, was constructed in two stages. The first consists of 15 steps made of rough stone, and the second of seven steps made of Puuc-style stone with borders. The building, about 7.5 meters high, consists of a two-tiered foundation on which the temple is situated. The entrance is via a staircase located on the northern side, also consisting of two steps. It comprises seven rooms, one of which is decorated with traces of painting in blue, red, and yellow colors. The fresco depicts five entrances, whose niches have several dots arranged in a vertical line. Below are heads of snakes with open mouths, painted in green, black, yellow, and red, most likely related to Kukulkan. The snakes resemble some found in Cobá, as well as others found on ceramic artifacts in Cholula, Puebla, dating from 1350-1550 AD.

Jermaine

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The last great capital of the Maya

Xini Nah El Oratorio and Xbi Ac, 97824 Yuc., Mexico

Maya Cities of Mexico: MayapÃ¡n

Mayapán (Màayapáan in the modern Mayan language; in Spanish, Mayapán) is an abandoned pre-Columbian Maya city located a few kilometers south of the town of Telchac Pueblo in the municipality of Tekax, approximately 40 km southeast of Mérida and 100 km west of Chichén Itzá; in the state of Yucatán, Mexico. Mayapán was the political and cultural capital of the Maya on the Yucatán Peninsula during the late Postclassic period from the 1220s to the 1440s. The estimated total population of the city is 15,000–17,000 people.

Jermaine

Observatory (El Templo Redondo)

The Round Temple, 97824 Yuc., Mexico

Maya Cities of Mexico: MayapÃ¡n

The most striking building in Mayapán is the round observatory tower. The Maya were talented astronomers. They were especially obsessed with the movement of Venus and other planets, as they believed these were Gods traveling back and forth from the Earth to the underworld and the heavenly realms.

Jermaine

Pyramid of Kukulkan (El Castillo de Kukulkán)

JGHQ+PM Telchac Pueblo, Yucatán, Mexico

Maya Cities of Mexico: MayapÃ¡n

This is the main building of the Mayapan archaeological excavations, considered a smaller replica of the Kukulkan pyramid in Chichen Itza. It is a stepped pyramid composed of nine platforms with rounded corners, and at the top are the remains of a temple.

Jermaine

Decapitated Warriors (Guerrero decapitado)

JGHQ+PP Telchac Pueblo, Yucatán, Mexico

Maya Cities of Mexico: MayapÃ¡n

Next to the Pyramid of Kukulkan, there is a substructure with molded reliefs of human figures resembling warriors. Both have exposed ribs, no heads, and instead of heads, there are niches where fragments of skulls were found.

Jermaine

Dance Platform (Plataforma de los Danzantes)

JGHQ+RM Telchac Pueblo, Yucatán, Mexico

Maya Cities of Mexico: MayapÃ¡n

A square platform with balustrades and staircases on all four sides, reminiscent of the Venus platform in Chichen Itza, which is similarly located on the northwest side of the pyramid.

Jermaine

Temple of Venus (Templo de Venus)

JGHQ+VG Telchac Pueblo, Yucatán, Mexico

Maya Cities of Mexico: MayapÃ¡n

Another structure that reminds us of the overall architecture of Chichen Itza is the Venus Platform, which is a small four-sided foundation with steps on each side. At the top, there are still the walls of a small temple or sanctuary.

Jermaine

Temple of the Warriors (Templo de los Guerreros)

Xini Nah El Oratorio and Xbi Ac, 97824 Yuc., Mexico

Maya Cities of Mexico: MayapÃ¡n

Jermaine

The Hall of the Mascarons of the God Chaac (La Sala de los Mascarones del dios Chac)

The Round Temple, 97824 Yuc., Mexico

Maya Cities of Mexico: MayapÃ¡n

At the back of the Observatory is the Hall of the Mascarons of the god Chaac (the rain god), which can also be seen in other Mayan archaeological sites.

Jermaine

Temple of the Painted Niches (Templo de los Nichos Pintados)

The Temple of the Painted Niches, 97824 Yuc., Mexico

Maya Cities of Mexico: MayapÃ¡n

Jermaine

Fisherman's Temple (Templo del Pescador)

The Temple of the Painted Niches, 97824 Yuc., Mexico

Maya Cities of Mexico: MayapÃ¡n

The Fisherman's Temple is a structure consisting of several foundation levels stacked on top of each other, with a staircase leading to the temple adorned with frescoes.

Jermaine