Edzná-Mayan Ruins

The first major flourishing of the magnificent Mayan city of Edzná occurred during the late Pre-Classic period (450 B.C.–A.D. 300). Long before the other Puuc sites were established, this city was home to a large population that tilled the fertile soils of the valley. Its resurgence in the Classic period saw the construction of massive pyramids, public buildings, and palaces. The largest and most impressive of these is a five-story palace/pyramid structure that dominates the large main plaza. From its summit you can look out over this immense ancient center and see the outline of the causeways and canals that once ran through the site, as well as earth-covered mounds that mark buildings yet to be uncovered. Here at Edzná, the Maya built the most extensive hydraulic system in the region, with canals and ponds preserving water for irrigation and the city’s needs. At this site the population also raised many steles to honor their kings and commemorate royal events; some are still standing in the plaza, but a number of these can be seen beneath a modern thatched-roof structure at the entrance to the site.