Tikal 's North, Central and South Acropoli, Gran Plaza 's Temples I and II and Temple V to the far right… Tikal offers spectacular views from every perspective and from every angle…

Temple III is the last large structure built at Tikal. It may house the burial of Chi’taam, the last major ruler at this site.  If his tomb is here, it has not been found as yet.

Chi’taam represented the last of the great rulers in Tikal's dynasty. He was the 29th ruler from the family dynasty founded by a ruler in the third century. The earliest monument with a date on it was erected here in 292 A.D. Tikal's last monument was erected in 869 A.D.  By this time, the city was suffering and soon to be abandoned.

Temple IV is the highest building at Tikal and the tallest in the entire Maya region!  At 64 m (212 feet) high, it towers over the Peten jungle. Yax Kin, who came to the throne on December 12th, 734 A.D, built it. 

Archaeologists believe he is buried here. Archaeologists estimate that 250,000 cubic yards of stone went into its construction! The ruler would have called upon the 60,000+ inhabitants of Tikal and the surrounding area to contribute to the building process, perhaps paying a labor tax. 

 

At 59 meters (190 feet high), Temple V is the second tallest pyramid at Tikal. Archaeologists believe it is the burial site of an unknown ruler.

Adjacent to the South Acropolis, restoration of Temple V has been completed, with funding from the Spanish Cooperation Agency. In the photograph we may appreciate the beginning of this consolidation and restoration works, when archaeologists searched for the base of the structure along its stairway.   

In Temple VI, archaeologists found a huge hieroglyphic text that records major events in Tikal's history and glorifies events during Yax Kin's reign. As a result of this information left by Yax Kin, archaeologists have learned about Tikal's early history, back to 457 B.C.  The Mendez Causeway connects Temple 6, also known as the Temple of the Inscriptions, to the rest of the site, being the one that is further away. 

It was discovered by a local petenero named Antonio Ortiz, hired by Pennsylvania University to bring in food from the city of Flores.  Glyphs covered the back and sides of the 40-foot roof comb, revealing the date of 766 A.D., there were at least 186 glyphs, each 80 cms. (2 feet high) by 1 meter (3 feet wide).  The glyphs were carved in stone.  Details were added in plastered stucco and finally the wall was painted red, unfortunately all gone now.  The damaged Stela 21 and Altar 9 may be observed in front of this building.

½ Index ½ Info ½ Arts ½ Sciences ½ Travel ½ Tikal Map ½ Email Us ½