What to see in Guatemala

Tikal

Tikal is one of the largest archaeological sites and urban centres of the pre-Columbian Mayan civilisation. It is located in the town of Flores, in the Petén department, and forms part of the Tikal National Park, which was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1979. According to the glyphs found at the site, it was once named Yax Mutul. Tikal was the capital of a belligerent state, which was converted into one of the most powerful kingdoms of the ancient Mayans. Although the monumental architecture of the site dates back to the 4th century BC. Tikal was at its peak during the Mesoamerican Classic Period, between 200-900 AD. During this time, the city dominatad a large part of the Mayan region, in the political, economic and military arenas and maintained links with other regions, throughout Mesoamerica, including the then metropolis of Teotihuacan, in the distant Valley of Mexico.