9 Best Pyramids to Visit in Mexico

"The Maya people never had one central capital. Instead, they operated with autonomous city-states. One of their “capitals” was the city of Uxmal, located outside modern-day Mérida, and its most famous pyramid is the Pyramid of the Magician. "The site at Uxmal was at its height for only 150 years," said Barnhart, “and it has a different look. It does not have those terraces going up the sides. It's got a smooth outside that goes up to a superstructure, and its sides are curving. It's like the design of a common Maya house in the Yucatán." Legends swirl around the creation of the pyramid, including one that says the structure was built in a single night by a magical man, born from an egg to a witch. He constructed the pyramid in one night to challenge the current king and became king of Uxmal himself, hence the name “Pyramid of the Magician.” (Of course, as is the case with many legends, the specifics depend on who is telling the story.)" - Travel + Leisure Editors