traveldk.com

Unusually, Uxmal’s best-known pyramid has rounded corners. The temple at the top is the legendary home of the Dwarf of Uxmal. Sadly, visitors can no longer climb to the top.

This elegant, four-building complex was Uxmal’s heart of power and ritual. It was so named by a Spanish friar merely because it reminded him of a convent. Intricate carvings , (see Uxmal: The Carvings) symbolize the magical authority of the city and its rulers and their contact with the gods.

Uxmal’s main Ball Court is smaller than the Great Court at Chichén Itzá (see Chichén Itzá). The original scoring rings are inscribed with dates from the year 901; those you actually see at the court are replicas.

This delicately proportioned small temple-residence is considered the archetype of the pure Puuc architectural style (see The Puuc Cities). The name comes from its decorative cornice, featuring a line of turtles carved in stone. This is a motif that you will see many times at Uxmal; it was associated with the rebirth of new life and the fertility of the coming of the rains.

Often regarded as the finest of all Mayan buildings, this huge palace, over 100 m (300 ft) long, was built for the greatest of Uxmal’s rulers, known as Chan-Chak-Kaknal-Ahaw, or Lord Chak. Its huge frieze symbolizes time and the cycles of rain, sun, and rebirth.

Most of this towering pyramid is older than the Governor’s Palace next door. Like many Mayan buildings, it was altered and added to many times.

Only partly excavated, this large pyramid with a Puuc-style temple on one side is among the oldest major structures at Uxmal, dating from about 700. In legend, it is said to be the home of the Dwarf’s Mother.

This huge complex incorporates temples and palatial residences. Early travelers thought the lofty roof comb above its central quadrangle looked like dovecotes, hence the name. It was once covered in sculptures.

Unexcavated parts of Uxmal include the Temple of the Centipede. The sacbé (Mayan road) leading to it continued to the allied city of Kabah. An arch marks the boundary of Uxmal’s central core.

Every night, Uxmal’s major buildings are dramatically lit up in varying colors, and there is a commentary on Uxmal in history and legend.