The Towers of Tikal and the Floating Island of Flores

Tikal

Tikal was my first love. It was the first of the ancient Mayan ruins I visited. And over 25 years later it’s still just as enchanting. It remains the most impressive in the pantheon of Mesoamerican sites I’ve been to. The setting in the jungle is sublime. And the scale and scope of the buildings is magnificent.

The cliffnotes version of its history per Wikipedia: “Tikal was the capital of a conquest state that became one of the most powerful kingdoms of the ancient Maya. Though monumental architecture at the site dates back as far as the 4th century BC, Tikal reached its apogee during the Classic Period, c. 200 to 900. During this time, the city dominated much of the Maya region politically, economically, and militarily, while interacting with areas throughout Mesoamerica such as the great metropolis of Teotihuacan in the distant Valley of Mexico.”

It also supported an extensive population at its peak: “In an area within a 12 kilometers (7.5 mi) radius of the site core, peak population is estimated at 120,000; population density is estimated at 265 per square kilometer (689 per square mile). In a region within a 25 kilometers (16 mi) radius of the site core and including some satellite sites, peak population is estimated at 425,000 with a density of 216 per square kilometer (515 per square mile).”

While this sign describes one section, it could easily describe the entire park

The backside of Temple V, the steepest and second tallest temple in the park

Looking at some of the living quarters near the Grand Plaza.

Looking across at Temple II in the Grand Plaza.

Looking down at the northern complex next to the Grand Plaza from Temple II

Looking across the Grand Plaza at Temple I from the top of Temple II

The incredible view looking at Temples I, II and III from the top of Temple IV

And if the above picture from Temple IV looks familar, it’s because Tikal was the setting of the rebel base in the first Star Wars movie: Star Wars IV A New Hope.

Even the paths between the structures offer tranquil jungle walking

A band of lemur like creatures foraging for nuts. A few were of their band were above them shaking the tree so that nuts could fall down to their companions below.

The view from the top section of this temple

Looking out at Temples I, II and III from a tall temple in the Lost World section of the park

The view of Temple IV with people sitting on the stairs on top

A residency building within the Lost World section of the park

Looking out from the inside of a small temple

Modern Mayans, with the women in traditional dress, relaxing below the glories of their ancestors.

Looking down on the Grand Plaza from a side complex

Another view of Temple I and part of the Grand Plaza

A representation of what some side temples by the Grand Plaza may have looked like

A representation of the core part of Tikal

Flores

The city of Flores is the capital of the Guatemalan state of Peten. The unique part of the city is the section on a small island connected to the mainland by a small causeway. I stayed on the island as a base for my trip to Tikal. It’s a wonderful, scenic, peaceful place.

It also has some interesting history per Wikipedia: “The Itza left the Yucatán region in the 13th century and built the city later known as Tayasal as their capital. They called it Nojpetén, (noj peten, literally “Great Island” in the Itza language). It was here, on the island of Flores on the shore of Lake Petén Itzá, that the last independent Maya state held out against the Spanish conquerors. In 1541, Hernán Cortés came to the island, en route to Honduras, but needed to move on and did not try to conquer it. The Spanish did not manage to conquer the island until 1697, when they marched in, attacked via boats, and destroyed it. Those who could flee did so, and many Itzá people hid in the jungle for years. From the ruins of Nojpetén arose the modern city of Flores. The modern city can thus be regarded as the second oldest continuously inhabited settlement in the Americas, after Cholula.”