Zona Arqueológica de Ek Balam

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"On the way to Chichén Itzá is another lesser-known Maya site called Ek Balam. This Maya city, just outside of the modern-day Spanish-influenced city of Valladolid, was at its height between 700 and 1000 C.E., though it operated for more than 1,000 years. Only the center of Ek Balam has been excavated, with 45 structures mapped out. El Torre, also known as The Tower, is one of the largest Maya structures in the region, measuring more than 500 feet long, 200 feet wide, and 100 feet tall. Its inscriptions are not carved into the rock like other pyramids. Instead, the creators used stucco and limestone to shape beautiful imagery. El Torre also houses the tomb of Ukit Kan Lek Tok, one of the rulers of the city. "The Tower is one of the few you can still climb, but its real claim to fame is the stucco facade about halfway up the pyramid. It's called the 'White Reading House' based on the hieroglyphs, and archaeologists think it was a royal library. The doorway is carved like the mouth of a monster, with a lower jaw with teeth and an upper jaw. In the eyes are sitting full human figures, called the Ek Balam Angels. It's probably one of the best pieces of Maya art in the entire world," said Barnhart." - Travel + Leisure Editors