80km (50 miles) SW of Mérida; 19km (12 miles) W of Ticul; 19km (12 miles) S of Muna
The ceremonial complex of Uxmal (pronounced "oosh-mahl") is one of the masterworks of Maya civilization. It is strikingly different from all other cities of the Maya for its expansive and intricate facades of carved stone. Unlike other sites in northern Yucatán, such as Chichén Itzá and Mayapán, Uxmal isn't built on a flat plane. The builders worked into the composition of the ceremonial center an interplay of elevations that adds complexity. And then, there is the strange and beautiful oval-shaped Pyramid of the Magician, which is unique among the Maya. The great building period took place between A.D. 700 and 1000, when the population probably reached 25,000. After 1000, Uxmal fell under the sway of the Xiú princes (who may have come from central Mexico). In the 1440s, the Xiú conquered Mayapán, and not long afterward the age of the Maya ended with the arrival of the Spanish conquistadors.
Close to Uxmal, four smaller sites -- Sayil, Kabah, Xlapak, and Labná -- can be visited in quick succession. With Uxmal, these ruins are collectively known as the Puuc route. See "Seeing Puuc Maya Sites," below, if you want to explore these sites.
