Must-see attractions in Tikal

Templo I

Tikal

Templo I, the Templo del Gran Jaguar (Temple of the Grand Jaguar), was built to honor – and bury – Ah Cacao. The king may have worked out the plans for…

El Mundo Perdido

Tikal

About 400m southwest of the Gran Plaza is El Mundo Perdido (Lost World), a complex of 38 structures with a huge pyramid in its midst, thought to be…

Templo IV

Tikal

Templo IV, at 65m, is the highest building at Tikal and the second-highest pre-Columbian building known in the western hemisphere, after La Danta at El…

Acrópolis del Norte

Tikal

The Acropolis del Norte predates the nearby temples significantly. Archaeologists have uncovered about 100 different structures, the oldest of which dates…

Museo Sylvanus G Morley

Tikal

This museum exhibits a number of superb ceramic pieces from excavations, including incense burners and vases, with descriptions of their uses and…

Acrópolis Central

Tikal

South and east of the Gran Plaza, this maze of courtyards, little rooms and small temples is thought by many to have been a palace where Tikal's nobles…

Templo III

Tikal

West of the Gran Plaza, across the Calzada Tozzer (Tozzer Causeway) stands Templo III, still undergoing restoration. Only its upper reaches have been…

CCIT

Tikal

This Japanese-funded research center is devoted to the identification and restoration of pieces unearthed at the site. The 1300-sq-meter facility has a…

Templo VI

Tikal

Templo VI is one of the few temples at Tikal to bear written records. On the rear of its 12m-high roofcomb is a long inscription – though it will take…

Complejo N

Tikal

Between Templo IV and Templo III is Complejo N, an example of the 'twin-temple' complexes erected during the Late Classic Period. This one was built in AD…

Templo V

Tikal

Templo V is a remarkably steep structure (57m high) that was built sometime between the 7th and 8th centuries AD. It consists of seven stepped platforms…

Museo Lítico

Tikal

The larger of Tikal’s two museums is in the visitors center. It houses a number of carved stones from the ruins. The photographs taken by pioneer…

Complejo Q

Tikal

Complejo Q and Complejo R, about 300m north of the Gran Plaza, are very Late Classic twin-pyramid complexes with stelae and altars standing before the…

Plaza de los Siete Templos

Tikal

To the west of the Acrópolis del Sur is this broad grassy plaza, reached via a path to its southern edge. Built in the Late Classic Period, the seven…

Acrópolis del Sur

Tikal

Excavation has hardly even begun on the mass of masonry just west of the temple, known collectively as the Acrópolis del Sur (South Acropolis). The…

Talud-Tablero temple

Tikal

A smaller temple to the western side of El Mundo Perdido, dates from the Early Classic Period, and demonstrates Teotihuacán's influence, with its talud…

Templo II

Tikal

Templo II, also known as the Temple of the Masks, was at one time almost as high as Templo I, but it now measures only 38m without its roofcomb. It's best…

Complejo M

Tikal

Complejo M, next to Complejo P, was partially torn down by the Late Classic Maya to provide building materials for a causeway, now named after Alfred P…

Complejo P

Tikal

About 1km north of the Gran Plaza is Complejo P. Like Complejo N, it's a Late Classic twin-temple complex that probably commemorated the end of a katun.

Complejo R

Tikal

Complejo R, about 300m north of the Gran Plaza, is a very Late Classic twin-pyramid complex with stelae and altars standing before the temples.

Grupo H

Tikal

Grupo H, northeast of Complexes P and M, with one tall, cleared temple, had some interesting graffiti within its temples.