The Park has a
visitor’s centre witch
we suggest that you visit first, it has a scale model of the uncovered
part of the city and there you
can plan your tour, there are guides available in English, Spanish,
French, Italian and German languages. It also hosts the Stone museum, with
26 stelas and altars carved monuments with 577 years in
history, (from 292 A.D. to 869 A.D) as well as the stone made
“Hombre de Tikal”
If you want to
enjoy all that Tikal (Hide Place or
Place where the Gods Speak the name given by Morley on 1863), has to offer, we suggest to
start your visit in following the Méndez Causeway
to the
Temple VI or Inscriptions Temple, named
that way, because it has the largest Hieroglyphic inscriptions in the
Mayan
world, and narrates the
dynastic history of Tikal, it was build on
766 AD. In Temple VI, archaeologists found a huge hieroglyphic text
with 186 glyphs measuring 80 cm (2 feet high) by 1 meter (3 feet
wide) each, that records major events in Tikal's history and glorifies events during Yaxk'in Ca'an Chac
or Yax'kin's reign. As a
result
of this information
archaeologists have learned about Tikal's early history, back to 457
B.C., In the front of the temple, You can see the Stela 21 and
altar 9.
It will take you around 25 minutes from the main
entrance to go there but, because it is the more distant big structure
from the Central Plaza, if you go the other way, maybe you will feel too
tired to go there in the afternoon. The path is surrounded by the jungle,
and there is a goof chance to watch monkeys during your walk.
From there you'll go
to
the
Group
G or Acanaladuras Palace, a very distinctive, 2 stories, Late Classic
Palace, composed by 23 Structures, that its worthwhile
visiting, it has 11 different chambers, in the main building and is unique in the Mayan World,
then you should proceed to Temple V, a large
Pyramid build on 750 AD, that is 191 foot (59 mt.) High, that you can climb and has a very beautiful view of the others
big structures of
Tikal, the porpoise of this building remains a mystery,
it is not a tomb like the other big pyramids in Tikal and has only a small
room in the top. At the right side you
will see what appears to be a little mountain, but it is a still
jungle-covered temple, that you can appreciate in the visitors centre. In
front of this temple is one of the main water reservoirs of Tikal, now dry.
From Temple V you will go to the
Seven Temples Plaza, with its triple
ball fields,
a unique feature in the Maya World, and in structure 5D-91,
you can see large human heads made from stucco, as well as several Stelas and Altars, The Plaza of Seven Temples, so called because of
the seven Late Classic Period temples, is one of the most attractive in
Tikal, although the origin of the group may be traced back to the Preclassic Period. Many palaces to the south and west surround this
spacious plaza; being quiet and secluded it is a great spot for
bird watching, as is the adjacent
Lost World, Facing the ball courts are
three Late Classic Palaces. The largest of the Seven Temples, the middle
one, is decorated with crossed bones in the back and has a plain stela
in front.
|
 
Pa' Chan (Probably Yaxchilán or
El Zotz) Lord, Son of a
Calakmul Lord, captured by Hasaw Chan K'awil in
695 AD. Bone at Tikal museum. |
Then you go to
Mundo Perdido
or Lost World, the oldest in the site. Covering an area of 60,000 metres2, the Lost World
comprises 38 structures, one of which is the Preclassic Complex for Astronomical
Commemoration. This compound is the most ancient ensemble of
Maya
structures in a harmonious arrangement
associated with the
observation
of the stars, including the cycles of Venus and the Sun, as well as
solstices and equinoxes, it has al the requirements for a "Group E". The main structure 5C-54 (the Great Pyramid of
the Lost World) is a four-sided structure standing 30 meters high, and
displaying masks and stairways on all four sides, which never bore a
temple at the summit, was built over four other pyramids, the oldest of
which was constructed in 800 B.C. The people of Tikal preserved this
piece of their early history. Most other buildings from this time period
had other structures built over of them. Being a special building, they
kept up the appearance of this building with fresh paint and plaster.
Some of the most delicate examples of
ceramic pottery and
Jade artwork were recovered
here by the Guatemalan archaeological team of the "Proyecto Nacional
Tikal" and are on display at the National Museum in Guatemala City as
well at the site's museum.
An
important feature here is an early image of a Hero Twin
painted on the wall of the South Patio of Group 6C-XVI. The
Guatemalan archaeologists, Laporte and Fialko named this panel the Mural de los Jugadores, (Ball Players Mural).
The
mural depicts the great
mythic ball game, pitting the Hero Twins
against the Lords of the Otherworld. Examining the iconography, we
can easily see the headband and yoke which help to identify him as a
Twin. Part of his regalia is a death’s eye collar and an upside-down
olla (ak’bal pot), from which descends
a snake. Although the collar and do not constitute the normal
costume of the Hero Twins, they play an important role in
recognizing cognates of the Twins. It also has Stucco masks half
Jaguar and half Human, representing either the Sun and Xibalbá, or
the "Way",
or animal companion of the men. From the lost world, you also have a
beautiful sight of the 60 mt high Temple III
Roof Comb (The finest of all the Temples in Tikal),
and
the last big structure to be build.
Then you go to
Temple IV, (Under reconstruction) build on 740 AD and the Tallest building in Tikal
at 212 feet high (64 mt.) from the base of
the platform supporting its pyramid to the top of its roof comb, is
also called the "Two headed Serpent Temple",
(due to a wooden lintel depicting a serpent with two heads), erected by Yax k'in Ca'an Chac
son of Hasaw Chan Kawi'l (AD
682-734) or
Ah Cacao buried (burial 116) at Temple I (The Great Jaguar
Temple). He was the conqueror of Calakmul and
Dos Pilas in the so called,
Star Wars of the Classic Mayas,
described in the hieroglyphic stairway in Dos
Pilas. The sight from the top is unique and is the one that you have
seen in the first Star Wars picture. 191,139 m3
(250000 cubic yards), were
needed to build this Temple and its supporting platform. From there, you should proceed to
the central plaza visiting first the Group N,
a "Twin Pyramid Complex", and the Temple III, (Not Reconstructed
yet), build ca 810 AD, tomb of
Chitam II, maybe the last powerful ruler, It has a carved
wooden lintel, almost
intact, depicting a central personage clothed in jaguar skin. A 2
story structure named Palacio de los
Murciélagos (Bats Palace), on the
Tozzer Causeway, thought to be the main residential
building, before the Central Acropolis was build, and was
transformed in an administrative one.
Arriving then to a restrooms area, just before the
Central Plaza
with its two Big Temples, Temple I or Great Jaguar,
44 mt. (144 ft) high, the tomb of Hasaw Chan Kawi'l and
Temple
II or Masks Temple,
38 mt. (125 ft) high, and
tomb of Lajchan Mo' or
Lady Twelve Macaw
his wife who
died 704 A.D. Numerous monumental Stelas in the Great Plaza bear
glyphic inscriptions about historic events. From these, and other
inscriptions on wooden lintels, we know that Temple I was built for
the 26th ruler of Tikal, Hasaw Chan Kawi'l.
A wooden lintel, records his greatest victory, the capture of the
Tok Pakal (War Emblem), of Calakmul on
Agust 5, 695 AD. The building date is unknown, as it
is unclear if Hasaw Chan Kawi'l
built it before his death or if his son, Yaxhk'in Ca'an Chac, constructed it in honor of his deceased father. The North Acropolis, with its 69 mt. long stairways, that lead to small
temples with several burials, and giant stucco masks, the burial 22 is the oldest king found to date,
(Str 5D-26, Chak Tok Ich’aak or great Jaguar Paw, 9th lord of Tikal).
The North Acropolis was, for most of Tikal's history, the focus of
the city's religious architecture and the preferred place of burial
for rulers, with dozens of overlaid tombs dating
back well into the Preclassic period Structure 5D-33 contained the burial of Tikal's
most illustrious Early Classic ruler, Siyah
Cha'an K'awil I or Stormy
Sky I. His tomb is overlaid with several other shrines, built
by later rulers, to further commemorate Stormy Sky's reign and
enhance their connections to him.
Main Plaza
|
Structure 5D-22 that dates to the Early
Classic, it was covered by the now dismantled Temple 33 the tallest
structure in the North Acropolis. Its stairway sides
are adorned with large plaster masks of Chaac, the rain god. In front of the
North Acropolis is the South Acropolis, also used for
burials before the construction of the big Temples, at the left of the
Great Jaguar there is small ceremonial ball court (This particular
court is very small, and may have served a symbolic purpose, or
perhaps it was used for an unknown one-on-one version of the
ballgame). Then you can go to the south
acropolis, that has several
palaces and other structures not yet reconstructed.
The
Central Acropolis, has 45 structures, including palaces,
administrative buildings, and 6 patios. This is a complex of range-type structures
that grew from the Late Preclassic until construction halted
permanently in the Terminal Classic period. Most of its buildings
are of the so-called
palace type, probably used for daily functions
of the royal court. Teobert Mahler used certain buildings adjoining
this plaza as a residence during his 1895 and 1904 excavations at
Tikal (`Mahler's Palace`), which may have influenced Alfred Tozzer to
later theorize that these buildings originally had a residential
function. Among the main structures there is The Palace of
"Chak Tok Ich'aak I"
or
Great Jaguar Paw I (St. 5D-46) is one
of the
oldest and was preserved by the rulers that succeed him, and
a 5 story Palace.
Then you can go to a rest area, next to the Group F,
4 structures in a large platform, until covered that was the
commercial or market area, there are another grups called Complex H, M, N, O, P, Q and
R, to the north of the North
Acropolis, that You can visit taking the Mahler
Causeway, and
enjo
ying the nature and if you keep quiet, some of the Fauna, while going out, being Complexes
N, O and Q three
of The 7 twin Pyramid complexes in Tikal, with several well preserved Stelas and Altars,
(the famous Altar 5 was found in Complex N, dedicated by Hasaw
Cha'an Káwil), that The Maya
erected to commemorate the ending of a
K'atún
(20 Years), with an Stela (22) and Altar (10) depicting the
last Great king Chitam, (Yax Nuun Ayiin II),
whom dedicated this complex in 771 AD, in a
shrine to the right of the two pyramids (Complex
Q, right picture),
The structure 3D-43, in Complex P is the one that has the
largest rooms in Tikal, and also many examples of ancient
graffiti, this
complex
was dedicated by Yax'kin, on May 7, 751 AD, Then proceed
to the exit, and the restaurants' area, or take the
Maudslay causeway and go to the
exit were you can visit the ceramic museum "Sylvannus Griswold Morley", that includes, Hasaw Cha'an K'awiil's
Burial 116, recreation, and learn more and appreciate
the beautiful Sculptures, Polychrome ceramics or the
Jade masks,
obsidian,
conch and ceramic
art work, among other objects
found in the burials
(More than 180) and other findings in Tikal.
The last
date recorded here is AD 869, and the city
was abandoned
not much
later. The last king of Tikal, Hasaw Cha'an
K'awiil II, who ruled from 869 up to 889?, seems to have attempted to reestablish royal
power and he is mentioned at
Ceibal, but the political climate
was now dramatically transformed and the last mention of this king
is from a stela erected in 889 at
Uaxactún.
On the
Natural
Side, there are 11 different types of forest classified there, due to
the micro-climes, that range from
tropical and subtropical humid to tropical dry forest with at least 185 different tree
species, 32 micro-biota species, 352
bird species, including 60
endangered, such as the Cojolita,
Red Chest Falcon, the Crested and
Harpy Eagles, the Faison,
3
Macaw Sub species and several parrot and
parakeets species. There are
also 105 reptile species, including 50
serpent sp. and 25
amphibious species.
There are 102
mammals species including felines like
the Jaguar (70 individuals estimated, 2005),
Cougar, Jaguarundi,
Ocelot, Margay and
Onza, Grey Fox, 60 different species of Bats,
big species like Tapir, White Tail Deer, and
Peccary (wild boar), and of course
Spider as well as black and brown
Howling monkeys, witch are very easy to see and hear all
over the park, there are also, 535 different butterflies, 90 unique to the
area.
The park is
open daily from 7 AM to 6 PM, the fee is Q. 50 for foreigners, an
additional Q. 20 fee is necessary to visit the museums, it is 60
paved
Km. away from the Flores city
area, and
there are several options to go there from Flores. The buses start
departing Flores at 5 AM, and initiate the return at 2 PM each half hour,
charging Q 60 for the round trip. Several car rentals, are available
in the International Airport.
If you prefer to stay more than
the day, and experience the unique sunset and the jungle and bright night
skies in Tikal,
there are 3 hotels in the Park. You also can go camping, (a "must"
in full moon), to go to the ruins at night, request permission in
the Park's Administration, close to the Museums. (Electricity will go out at 10
PM).
Flights from Guatemala City to Flores (45 minutes), are available on
a daily basis, as well as non-stop good quality Bus transportation
(8 hours). The flights from Belize to Flores were cancelled due to
the lack of compliance with the FAA regulations of the two Belizean
airlines, in November 2007, TAG and TACA are trying to take this
route, and the Belizean Maya Air is working in its quality
standards. Flights from Cancún are available with two airlines, and
Continental flies direct from Houston, twice a week. The new
International Airport Terminal is under construction, and expected
to be finished by 2008's summer.
