Guide To Tulum Archaeological Park
 
About Tulum

White sand beaches and jungle are the Mayan city of Tulum which is the only built by the sea. Here you can find the most spectacular beaches on the Caribbean coast; the ruins were built on a 12 meters cliff. It is a perfect place to relax physically and spiritually. It is an Ancient Mayan city located 128 km south of Cancun. It was one of the largest cities in the region, is characterized by a large wall with five hits and two observation towers. Here you can discover the Castle, the Temples, the Houses of the Columns and Halach Uinic.

 The old Mayan name was Zama (meaning dawn or morning in Maya), now a days named Tulum (meaning in Maya palisade or wall, this name has been used to refer to when the town was already in ruins), was refered to the wall that surrounds it, making it an important asset for his defense. For many records in murals and other works found in the buildings of the city, it is believed that Tulum was an important center of worship for the "descending god." The wall defines all sides for their main north, south and west as the eastern portion looks directly at the Caribbean Sea. It has five hits and two observation towers, which indicate the degree of control that is eventually put on those seeking to enter this area.

In the central portion of the site are the main buildings, bordered by a second interior wall, most of them had kind of ceremonial functions including, The Castle location and unique facade above his temple, with three entrances decorated with serpentine columns.

The House of Columns and Halach Uinik House, located in the road area are interesting examples of residential architecture of Tulum, and the Casa del Cenote located in the northern sector of the walled set, documenting the importance of the aquatic worship for the Mayas , especially related to cenotes.
The Group Kukulcán, located just north of El Castillo, includes several minor structures, the most notable is the Temple of the God of Wind, named by the roundness of his basement. Traditionally linked to Kukulcán as God of the Winds or Ehécatl central Mexico.
Finally, we should emphasize the importance of the beach area, where the mayans ships were berthed while practicing the commerce trades in the peninsula, and today is the most visited area in Tulum.

Practical Information

Although Tulum it´s known for its beautiful beaches, you should check the importance of its murals and the interesting arrangement of urban buildings. The access fee is $ 20.00 Mexican pesos and the visiting hours from 08:00 to 19:00 hours during the summer and 07:00 to 18:00 hours during  winter, from Monday to Sunday.