The Castle is the main, largest, and oldest building in Tulum. Over 500 years ago, the structure was much more luxurious, as its facade, painted in bright colors, was adorned with sculptures, and there were molded masks on the corners, some of which have partially survived to this day. It is also the tallest structure; it was built on a rocky ledge 12 meters high, offering views of the Caribbean Sea and the land. It is located in the center of the city's religious area, emphasizing its importance. The castle tower is the perfect place to observe the ocean, although its function was not so much as a watchtower but as a landmark for sailors—in other words, it served as a lighthouse only for friendly ships.
The coast of Tulum is protected by a very long coral reef, which was an obstacle for sailors who were unaware of Tulum's secret passage. That is why the Maya sailed parallel to the sea, and when they reached the line perpendicular to the castle, they turned toward the shore through a narrow passage that led to the beach.
When it got dark, the Maya lit two windows at the back of the castle, signaling that it was time to turn and head to shore to avoid shipwreck, something the Spanish sailors did not know when they first arrived, so they could not reach Tulum.
Because of this, Tulum was a very important and well-protected trading port for the Maya; it was the gateway for goods arriving from the Gulf of Mexico, Central, and South America.
This temple went through several periods of construction and additions to the original building. It was most likely built in two stages; the earliest construction served as the foundation for the upper temple. Some structures date back to the sixth century, but most buildings belong to the Postclassic Maya period, between 1200 and 1450. To reach this temple, you need to climb the stairs leading to a stone that some researchers believe was used for human sacrifices. The upper temple has two vaulted rooms with three doorways; the doorway is supported by two snake-shaped columns; the facade has three niches, in the central one of which remnants of the image of the Descending God remain, and at the corners of the frieze, two zoomorphic masks made of stucco are visible.
In the upper central part of the Castle Temple is a sculpture of the Descending God with two other unidentified figures. At the corners of the building are several plaster masks, which are considered to be the heads of ara parrots. In the castle rock, there is a cave that, in Maya religious beliefs, corresponds to the lower plane or underworld, while the upper part of the castle is connected to the upper planes.
At the level of the main platform, on both sides of the staircase, there are two small temples, on the inner altars of which offerings were placed and which were used as prayer rooms. At the very top, in the center above the stairs, is the upper temple, where the most important religious ceremonies were held.
Sources:
https://pueblosoriginarios.com/meso/maya/sitios/tulum.html
https://mayanpeninsula.com/templo-dios-viento-tulum-estructura-45/
http://www.carolinaolivaresrodriguez.com/tulum-muyil-mexico-quinta-parte/
https://en-yucatan.com.mx/tulum/ruinas-mayas-de-tulum/
