The ancient Maya culture was one of the most important in the pre-Hispanic era, as it extended through southern Mexico all the way to Honduras; and the state of Yucatan was of course one of the sites where the Mayas lived and left a significant number of vestiges.
Some of these ruins are located within the metropolitan area of our lovely colonial capital city of Mérida; and these stunning sites can be seen and explored.
For over 3,000 years, the Maya civilization lived and developed; after the Spanish conquered their homes, cities and constructions were left vacant and sometimes even destroyed, and up today you can see some of these ruins scattered around the city.
These vestiges have been discovered, explored and shared with the world, and as we said before, many of them are right here in Mérida, and the civil association Xíimbal K’áax wants to share them with locals and visitors.
Xíimbal K’áax (Caminantes del Monte) A.C. is a non profit organization dedicated to the investigation, conservation and disseminate of the natural and cultural heritage of the Yucatán.
Mayan vestiges at Parque de la Tumbas San Antonio Kahua Merida Yucatan (Photo: Panoramio)
Xíimbal K’áax has created the project “Archeological Mérida”, where they offer tours to visit two groups of archeological parks and reserves located in Yucatán’s capital.
The main goal is to recover such spaces and “For families to take ownership of the spaces, and again feel that they belong to them, and therefore care for them”, as quoted on an article from El Chilam Balam website.
The two routes offered by project “Archeological Mérida” are:
Lak’iin circuit (eastern sector):
- Salvador Alvarado Sur
- Dzoyilá Granjas
- San Antonio Kahua
- Salvador Alvarado Oriente
- Chen Ho
Chik’in circuit (western sector):
- Xamán Susulá
- Xanilá
- Anikabil
- Juan Pablo II
- Opichén
- Xoclán
Archaeological site of Chen Ho in Merida Yucatan (Photo: Google)
Among the vestiges one can see during these tours are houses, platforms, sacbé (raised paved road), and pyramids, as well as some mounds that could be keeping even more vestiges, yet to be uncovered.
Anikabil vegetation covered pyramid at Ciudad Caucel Mérida (Photo: Panoramio)
By Dania Vargas Austryjak for Mexico News Network
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