Yaxchilán

Yaxchilan is an ancient Mayan city located on the riverside of the Usumacinta river, on the border of Chiapas with Guatemala. Its very peculiar location, its incredible architecture in the middle of the jungle and the journey to get there, make this place one of the most enigmatic archaeological sites in Mexico. A splendid scenery of tall evergreen jungles shelters this magnificent archaeological site, famous for its sculptural art captured in beautiful stelae and lintels.

The surface of the city is very extensive but its visit is currently restricted to part of the Great Plaza, the Great Acropolis, the Small Acropolis and the South Acropolis. The Great Plaza is accessed through building 19, also known as The Labyrinth, because of the complex distribution of its rooms. In the grounds of the plaza are located the ball game and small groups of buildings that, in some cases, seem to have had the function of palaces.

In several of the constructions the lintels that narrate the dynastic history of the city are still found. Those of buildings 12 and 22 stand out. The great stela 1 rises over the plaza showing the Jaguar Bird IV wearing a regal ceremonial dress.

A Lacandon legend tells that when the head of the Jaguar Bird returns to its place, the world will be devastated by the celestial jaguars. In front of the temple is the stela 31 sgraved on stalactite.