The mysterious beauty of ancient Maya monuments

Chichen Itza, Mexico, Tulum, Mexico, Palenque, Mexico, Uxmal, Mexico, Becan, Mexico, Caracol, Belize, Tikal, Guatemala, Mayapan, Mexico, El Mirador, Guatemala, Quiriguá, Guatemala, Copán, Honduras, Yaxchilan, Mexico, Yaxha, Guatemala, Calakmul, Mexico, Tazumal, El Salvador

The ancient Maya civilization left behind it a remarkable architectural legacy, a collection of fabulous must-see monuments found in Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador. 

Browse the gallery and visit some of Central America's most outstanding archaeological sites. 

Chichen Itza, Mexico

Chichen Itza, Mexico, Tulum, Mexico, Palenque, Mexico, Uxmal, Mexico, Becan, Mexico, Caracol, Belize, Tikal, Guatemala, Mayapan, Mexico, El Mirador, Guatemala, Quiriguá, Guatemala, Copán, Honduras, Yaxchilan, Mexico, Yaxha, Guatemala, Calakmul, Mexico, Tazumal, El Salvador

The ruins of Chichen Itza, located in Yucatán state, include the incredibly well-preserved Temple of Kukulkan (pictured).

Tulum, Mexico

Chichen Itza, Mexico, Tulum, Mexico, Palenque, Mexico, Uxmal, Mexico, Becan, Mexico, Caracol, Belize, Tikal, Guatemala, Mayapan, Mexico, El Mirador, Guatemala, Quiriguá, Guatemala, Copán, Honduras, Yaxchilan, Mexico, Yaxha, Guatemala, Calakmul, Mexico, Tazumal, El Salvador

Arguably the most picturesque of Maya monuments, the ruins of this former walled city are situated along sea cliffs.

Chichen Itza, Mexico, Tulum, Mexico, Palenque, Mexico, Uxmal, Mexico, Becan, Mexico, Caracol, Belize, Tikal, Guatemala, Mayapan, Mexico, El Mirador, Guatemala, Quiriguá, Guatemala, Copán, Honduras, Yaxchilan, Mexico, Yaxha, Guatemala, Calakmul, Mexico, Tazumal, El Salvador

This was one of the last cities built and inhabited by the Maya. Highlights include the Temple of the Frescoes and the Castillo.

Palenque, Mexico

Chichen Itza, Mexico, Tulum, Mexico, Palenque, Mexico, Uxmal, Mexico, Becan, Mexico, Caracol, Belize, Tikal, Guatemala, Mayapan, Mexico, El Mirador, Guatemala, Quiriguá, Guatemala, Copán, Honduras, Yaxchilan, Mexico, Yaxha, Guatemala, Calakmul, Mexico, Tazumal, El Salvador

The site, located in Chiapas state, is of great interest to historians because of the many beautiful hieroglyphic inscriptions on the monuments. The Temple of the Inscriptions (pictured) is a spectacular example.

Uxmal, Mexico

Chichen Itza, Mexico, Tulum, Mexico, Palenque, Mexico, Uxmal, Mexico, Becan, Mexico, Caracol, Belize, Tikal, Guatemala, Mayapan, Mexico, El Mirador, Guatemala, Quiriguá, Guatemala, Copán, Honduras, Yaxchilan, Mexico, Yaxha, Guatemala, Calakmul, Mexico, Tazumal, El Salvador

Among the most important archaeological sites of Maya culture, Uxmal impresses with its sheer size and highly-ornate stone carvings.

Chichen Itza, Mexico, Tulum, Mexico, Palenque, Mexico, Uxmal, Mexico, Becan, Mexico, Caracol, Belize, Tikal, Guatemala, Mayapan, Mexico, El Mirador, Guatemala, Quiriguá, Guatemala, Copán, Honduras, Yaxchilan, Mexico, Yaxha, Guatemala, Calakmul, Mexico, Tazumal, El Salvador

Another colossal must-see is the Governor's Palace. Uxmal's treasures have all been designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

Becan, Mexico

Chichen Itza, Mexico, Tulum, Mexico, Palenque, Mexico, Uxmal, Mexico, Becan, Mexico, Caracol, Belize, Tikal, Guatemala, Mayapan, Mexico, El Mirador, Guatemala, Quiriguá, Guatemala, Copán, Honduras, Yaxchilan, Mexico, Yaxha, Guatemala, Calakmul, Mexico, Tazumal, El Salvador

The ruins date back to around 550 BCE and are conspicuous for the unusual ditch and ramparts that run the circumference of the city.

Caracol, Belize

Chichen Itza, Mexico, Tulum, Mexico, Palenque, Mexico, Uxmal, Mexico, Becan, Mexico, Caracol, Belize, Tikal, Guatemala, Mayapan, Mexico, El Mirador, Guatemala, Quiriguá, Guatemala, Copán, Honduras, Yaxchilan, Mexico, Yaxha, Guatemala, Calakmul, Mexico, Tazumal, El Salvador

Once an important regional political center, this site in the Cayo District of Belize remained hidden until 1937.

Tikal, Guatemala

Chichen Itza, Mexico, Tulum, Mexico, Palenque, Mexico, Uxmal, Mexico, Becan, Mexico, Caracol, Belize, Tikal, Guatemala, Mayapan, Mexico, El Mirador, Guatemala, Quiriguá, Guatemala, Copán, Honduras, Yaxchilan, Mexico, Yaxha, Guatemala, Calakmul, Mexico, Tazumal, El Salvador

A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Tikal's monumental architecture looms over the rain forests of Guatemala's Tikal National Park, in the country's Petén department. 

Mayapan, Mexico

Chichen Itza, Mexico, Tulum, Mexico, Palenque, Mexico, Uxmal, Mexico, Becan, Mexico, Caracol, Belize, Tikal, Guatemala, Mayapan, Mexico, El Mirador, Guatemala, Quiriguá, Guatemala, Copán, Honduras, Yaxchilan, Mexico, Yaxha, Guatemala, Calakmul, Mexico, Tazumal, El Salvador

The city was once the political and cultural capital of the Maya in the Yucatán Peninsula.

El Mirador, Guatemala

Chichen Itza, Mexico, Tulum, Mexico, Palenque, Mexico, Uxmal, Mexico, Becan, Mexico, Caracol, Belize, Tikal, Guatemala, Mayapan, Mexico, El Mirador, Guatemala, Quiriguá, Guatemala, Copán, Honduras, Yaxchilan, Mexico, Yaxha, Guatemala, Calakmul, Mexico, Tazumal, El Salvador

This remote jungle-shrouded site set deep in the country's Petén department features a number of tall pyramid structures, including the 72-meter (236-ft) La Dante.

Quiriguá, Guatemala

Chichen Itza, Mexico, Tulum, Mexico, Palenque, Mexico, Uxmal, Mexico, Becan, Mexico, Caracol, Belize, Tikal, Guatemala, Mayapan, Mexico, El Mirador, Guatemala, Quiriguá, Guatemala, Copán, Honduras, Yaxchilan, Mexico, Yaxha, Guatemala, Calakmul, Mexico, Tazumal, El Salvador

Standing among the stelae is the tallest monumental sculpture ever erected in the New World.

Copán, Honduras

Chichen Itza, Mexico, Tulum, Mexico, Palenque, Mexico, Uxmal, Mexico, Becan, Mexico, Caracol, Belize, Tikal, Guatemala, Mayapan, Mexico, El Mirador, Guatemala, Quiriguá, Guatemala, Copán, Honduras, Yaxchilan, Mexico, Yaxha, Guatemala, Calakmul, Mexico, Tazumal, El Salvador

The site is especially noted for its distinctive sculptural style—ornate handiwork that emphasizes the Maya ethnicity of the city's rulers.

Yaxchilan, Mexico

Chichen Itza, Mexico, Tulum, Mexico, Palenque, Mexico, Uxmal, Mexico, Becan, Mexico, Caracol, Belize, Tikal, Guatemala, Mayapan, Mexico, El Mirador, Guatemala, Quiriguá, Guatemala, Copán, Honduras, Yaxchilan, Mexico, Yaxha, Guatemala, Calakmul, Mexico, Tazumal, El Salvador

Set along the Usumacinta River in the state of Chiapas, Yaxchilan comprises several major buildings distinguished for their remarkably well-preserved stone lintels.

Chichen Itza, Mexico, Tulum, Mexico, Palenque, Mexico, Uxmal, Mexico, Becan, Mexico, Caracol, Belize, Tikal, Guatemala, Mayapan, Mexico, El Mirador, Guatemala, Quiriguá, Guatemala, Copán, Honduras, Yaxchilan, Mexico, Yaxha, Guatemala, Calakmul, Mexico, Tazumal, El Salvador

Many of these ornamental-carved lintels contain hieroglyphic texts describing the dynastic history of the city.

Yaxha, Guatemala

Chichen Itza, Mexico, Tulum, Mexico, Palenque, Mexico, Uxmal, Mexico, Becan, Mexico, Caracol, Belize, Tikal, Guatemala, Mayapan, Mexico, El Mirador, Guatemala, Quiriguá, Guatemala, Copán, Honduras, Yaxchilan, Mexico, Yaxha, Guatemala, Calakmul, Mexico, Tazumal, El Salvador

The expansive ruins of more than 500 structures are set within the borders of the Yaxha-Nakum-Naranjo National Park, in Petén department.

Chichen Itza, Mexico, Tulum, Mexico, Palenque, Mexico, Uxmal, Mexico, Becan, Mexico, Caracol, Belize, Tikal, Guatemala, Mayapan, Mexico, El Mirador, Guatemala, Quiriguá, Guatemala, Copán, Honduras, Yaxchilan, Mexico, Yaxha, Guatemala, Calakmul, Mexico, Tazumal, El Salvador

In fact, Yaxha incorporates the remains of four ancient Maya cities: Yaxha, Topoxte, Nakum, and Naranjo.

Calakmul, Mexico

Chichen Itza, Mexico, Tulum, Mexico, Palenque, Mexico, Uxmal, Mexico, Becan, Mexico, Caracol, Belize, Tikal, Guatemala, Mayapan, Mexico, El Mirador, Guatemala, Quiriguá, Guatemala, Copán, Honduras, Yaxchilan, Mexico, Yaxha, Guatemala, Calakmul, Mexico, Tazumal, El Salvador

Located in dense jungle in the Campeche state, the near-hidden ruins of Calakmul belie the immense size of one of the largest and most powerful ancient Maya cities ever uncovered.

Chichen Itza, Mexico, Tulum, Mexico, Palenque, Mexico, Uxmal, Mexico, Becan, Mexico, Caracol, Belize, Tikal, Guatemala, Mayapan, Mexico, El Mirador, Guatemala, Quiriguá, Guatemala, Copán, Honduras, Yaxchilan, Mexico, Yaxha, Guatemala, Calakmul, Mexico, Tazumal, El Salvador

The more than 6,500 structures identified at the site include the 45-meter (148-ft) great pyramid—one of the tallest of the Maya pyramids. The whole area enjoys UNESCO Biosphere Reserve status.

Tazumal, El Salvador

Chichen Itza, Mexico, Tulum, Mexico, Palenque, Mexico, Uxmal, Mexico, Becan, Mexico, Caracol, Belize, Tikal, Guatemala, Mayapan, Mexico, El Mirador, Guatemala, Quiriguá, Guatemala, Copán, Honduras, Yaxchilan, Mexico, Yaxha, Guatemala, Calakmul, Mexico, Tazumal, El Salvador

Regarded as the best preserved Maya ruins in El Salvador, the Tazumal site lies within the larger zone of the ancient Mesoamerican city of Chalchuapa.

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