About a 20-minute walk to the northwest of the airstrip are Grupo B and Grupo A, the latter featuring the more formidable structures around the city's main square. Palacio V, on the east side of the square, is considered a model for Tikal's North Acropolis. In 1916 the American archaeologist Sylvanus Morley uncovered a stele dating from the 8th baktún (Maya calendar term) at Grupo A. Thus the site was called Uaxactún, meaning 'eight stone.'
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
29.94 MILES
Buried within the furthest reaches of the Petén jungle, just 7km south of the Mexican border, the Late Preclassic metropolis at El Mirador contains one of…
27.13 MILES
The Classic Maya sites of Yaxhá, Nakum and El Naranjo form a triangle that is the basis for a national park covering more than 37,000 hectares and…
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11.94 MILES
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…
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11.79 MILES
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…
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12.14 MILES
The most striking feature of Tikal is its towering, steep-sided temples, rising to heights of more than 44m, but what distinguishes it is its jungle…
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East Acropolis & Structure 216
27.33 MILES
Near the site entrance is the high point of Yaxhá (literally): Structure 216 in the East Acropolis. Also called the Temple of the Red Hands, because red…
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12.06 MILES
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…
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11.89 MILES
The Acropolis del Norte predates the nearby temples significantly. Archaeologists have uncovered about 100 different structures, the oldest of which dates…
Nearby El Petén attractions
0.07 MILES
The imposing Palacio A-XVIII affords the most panoramic view of the site from its summit. It's located on a path leading back to the village from behind…
2. Colección Dr Juan Antonio Valdés
0.41 MILES
The collection on display here, on the north side of the airstrip, holds a remarkable wealth of Maya pottery from Uaxactún, Yaxhá and as far away as…
0.65 MILES
The most significant temple in Grupo E, Templo E-VII-Sub is among the earliest intact temples excavated at the site, with foundations going back perhaps…
0.67 MILES
This is the tallest and possibly the oldest of a set of temples at Grupo E. Archaeologists date the structure to around 400 BC. Standing north of the…
0.69 MILES
One of several temples located in Grupo E, a 10- to 15-minute walk from the airstrip, between the Catholic and Evangelical churches on the right side…
0.7 MILES
This is the middle of three temples that together form an astronomical observatory at Grupo E. Viewed from Templo E-VII-Sub, the sun sets behind Templo E…
0.7 MILES
One of several temples located in Grupo E, a 10- to 15-minute walk from the airstrip, between the Catholic and Evangelical churches on the right side…