Archaeological zones

Campeche
Calakmul
Location: It is located in the Calakmul Biosphere Reserve, in the area
known as Petén Campechano, passing the Conhuás ejido. At km. 98 of the
Highway that goes from Escárcega to Chetumal

Site Route

Located in the heart of a biosphere reserve, it has 6,750 structures, among

them the tallest pyramid in Mexican territory, and covers more than 70
square km. Calakmul is distributed in a dispersed manner through five large
complexes organized around the central Great Plaza, which is connected
to other sections by sacbés.
The plaza is surrounded by several buildings: Structure VII, to the north,
Structure VI, to the west, Structure II to the south, and Structures IV and III
to the east; Structure VIII at the northeast end, and Structure V is the link
between the two sectors of the plaza.
Schedule:
Monday to Sunday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Travel Time
Experience this 5.0-km circular route near Calakmul, Campeche. Generally
considered a route of moderate difficulty, it takes an average of 1 hour 7
minutes to complete.

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 Edzna

Location:

It is located 55 km south of the city of Campeche.

Site Route

The settlement has magnificent architectural groups such as the Great

Acropolis or the Main Plaza, a central platform that supports 5 structures.
On the east side of the square is the largest concentration of buildings.

The main Castle defines the Great Acropolis, it is a five-level structure that
reaches 40 meters, it is thought that it was used by religious leaders.
Each staircase had intricate glyph carvings. Next to it is the Small
Acropolis with three buildings built on top.

Other important structures are: the Temple of the Masks with two small
masks at the base of the temple, one representing the God of Dawn and
the other the God of Dusk; and the Palace, facing the Great Acropolis,
which was a residential building with four large rooms at the top of the
staircase.

Its inhabitants developed an important and complex hydraulic system that

is a clear example of the degree of development of the important and
powerful regional capital. They built a series of canals that served to

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transport goods and people and at the same time fulfilled a defensive
purpose.

Travel Time

Visiting time in Edzna of 2 hours

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 Becan

Location:

To get to the site, take federal highway 180 towards the town of

Champoton; From there, continue along federal highway 186 towards

Escárcega-Chetumal, finding the site at kilometer 148. Leaving the city of
Campeche, an eight-hour round trip is estimated.

Description of the area

The metropolis has seven entrances: two to the south, three to the north,
one to the west and one to the east, the latter having remained the current
entrance for visitors to the site.

In the East or A Plaza, you can find the impressive Structure I with its
massive side towers with a height of 15 meters; Other important buildings
in the plaza are Structure II, Structures III and IV.

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The Central Plaza or B, is open in two sections and is surrounded by
Structures VIII, with an interesting tunnel at its entrance that connects two
of the main plazas of the site; Structure IX, 32 meters high, is the highest
construction on the site; and Structure X, where you can still see the
stucco and masks of the god Itzamná.

Plaza C is where the traditional ball game is located.

In the surrounding area there are agricultural terraces, granaries and

sanctuaries.

Travel Time

This 1.9-km circular route near Calakmul, Campeche. Generally

considered an easy route, it takes an average of 28 minutes to complete.

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 Colima
El Chánal
Location: It is located 6 kilometers north of the city of Colima. It is
reached by a cobblestone path that is at the end of Venustiano
Carranza Street.

Site Description

El Chanal has six important plazas or ceremonial centers:

The Plaza de los Altares in which there are two altars.

The Ball Court located south of the Plaza del Tiempo.

The Plaza del Día y de la Noche, a large open space measuring 60 by 80

meters.

The Plaza del Tiempo, with the most imposing buildings on the site:
structures 1 and 3.

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The Plaza del Agua is made up of a series of low platforms with interior
patios, corridors and open squares.

The round Plaza del Altar that visually dominates the Plazas de los Altares
and del Tiempo.

Travel Time

Half an hour to go through it doing the corresponding readings)

La campana
Location: It is located in the municipality of Villa de Álvarez, northwest of
the city of Colima, next to Tecnológico Avenue. Nearest town or town: City
of Villa de Álvarez, Municipality of Villa de Álvarez.

Description of the area

The location and spatial distribution of the structures correspond to urban
planning and layout. Its administrative-ceremonial center stands out for its
monumentality. It is made up of superimposed platforms, in the upper part
of which there are vestiges of sacred and residential enclosures; and also
has a drainage system to evacuate rainwater.

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 Chihuahua_Paquime

Location

It is located in the municipality of Casas Grandes in the northwest of the

state of Chihuahua, in the foothills of the Sierra Madre Occidental. 260 km
northwest of the city of Chihuahua.

Description of the area

Paquimé surprises with its peculiar urbanization, made from thick adobe
walls that project a striking play of shadows when illuminated by the sun’s
rays, complemented by “T”-shaped doors.

In the western part there is a row of structures that served as ceremonial

centers, they were built with fill and stone that were probably covered with
painted lime.

Among the important structures are: the House of the Ovens, which is part
of a group of nine rooms and two small squares; the House of the
Serpents, with 24 single rooms, two double rooms, three vestibules and
three squares; the House of the Macaws, where 122 birds were found
buried under its floor; the Well House; and two ball games, one is almost

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intact and has stands on three of its sides. The latter are similar to those
of Mesoamerica, although with rounded corners.

Travel Time

Generally considered an easy route, it takes an average of 46 minutes to

complete. This route is excellent for hiking and strolling, and you are
unlikely to encounter other people while walking.

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 Huapoca
Location

30 km away. West of Madera. Nearest town or town La Lagunita de

Tenúñez, municipality of Madera.

Description of the area

At this site there are vestiges of the Casas Grandes Culture. This

Formed by caves in the middle of a highly spectacular location. The

Serpent Cave is a housing complex made up of around 15 rooms with
their characteristic T-shaped doors. The Eagle’s Nest cave is a smaller
site that consists of two buildings, one of at least three rooms located on
the edge. From the cliff and the other from a room erected in the middle of
the two-level esplanade, in the middle of the cave.

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 Cueva De La Olla

Location

It rises in the Municipality of Casas Grandes, 55 km northwest of the

municipal seat.

Description of the area

The Cueva de la Olla is part of a small group and its name comes from a
huge circular barn that looks like a gigantic pot. Just 400 meters away is
the Cueva de las Golondrinas, where evidence of human occupation
dating back more than 5,500 years was found.

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 Distrito Federal_Templo Mayor

Location
The archaeological zone is located on the east side of the Cathedral
Metropolitana (in front of the Zócalo), in the Historic Center of the City of
Mexico, bordering the streets of Guatemala, Donceles, Licensed Verdad
and Seminario. The main access is located on this last street, next to
Plaza Manuel Gamio. To get there from the south of the city, it is
necessary to take the Calz. From Tlalpan (which becomes Av. 20 de
Noviembre) that leads to the capital’s Zócalo.
Description of the area
Throughout its eight rooms, thousands of objects are exhibited, 9% of
which come from the archaeological zone and explain aspects of the
Mexica culture. The architecture was conceived based on the shape of the
Great Temple, so it also has two sections: the south, dedicated to aspects
related to the cult of Huitzilopochtli, such as war, sacrifice and tribute; and
the north, dedicated to Tláloc, as well as agriculture, flora and fauna.

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The tour offers the visitor the closest possible view of the site’s greatest
splendor.
Travel Time
Regular 4 hours Visit to the Main Temple
The Great Temple or Templo Mayor was dedicated to Huitzilopochtli and
Tlaloc, measuring approximately 100 by 80 m (328 by 262 ft) at its base,
dominated by the Sacred Enclosure

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 Tlatelolco

Location
The archaeological zone is north of the Historic Center of Mexico City, in
the Plaza de las Tres Culturas, on the Lázaro Cárdenas Axis.
Description of the area
The area has been called, since the sixties, as the Plaza of the Three
Cultures, since it brings together the historical values of the three great
periods of the national development: Pre-Hispanic, Colonial and Modern
Mexico. From the first moment we have the presence of more than 27
complete buildings, presided over by the different construction stages of
the Templo Mayor.
The pre-Hispanic structures are distributed, mainly, to the south and north
of the Templo Mayor, Templo Mayor Stage II, Temple M or Calendárico,
Temple R, Temple W or El Palacio, Altar V, Temple Z, Buildings X and L,
Coatepantli, Temple A , Altar B, Temple C, Altar D1 and Temple I and J.

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 Huamuxtitla

Location:

It is located on the banks of the Tlapaneco River in the municipality of

Huamuxtitlán, Guerrero. 210 km, approximately 4 and a half hours from
Chilpancingo.

Description of the area

It has a base of 20 by 20 meters. In the center of the west façade there is

a staircase. In its last body there is a platform of 8 by 6 meters that was
the place where the temple that was on the top was planted.

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 Palma sola

Location

From the city of Acapulco you start in a northerly direction, along Costera
Miguel Alemán, until the junction with Escudero Avenue, continuing along
Aquiles Serdán and Constituciónntes to Palma Sola Avenue and from
there to its end. The last section of the journey must be done on foot.

Description of the area

The part that the public can visit has an area of three hectares, containing
engravings distributed on 18 stones; Apparently the residential part was in
the upper part, where the existence of ceramic structures and materials is
reported. The first extensive study of the area was carried out by Martha
Cabrera between 1980-1982 and recently Rubén Manzanilla published
the Rock Art Manifestations of Acapulco in 2008, which contains the
catalog of Palma Sola petroglyphs. Tour Time: Approximately 1:30

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 Tabasco_Moral-Reforma

Location

From Villahermosa, take highway 186 Villahermosa-Escárcega, until

kilometer 154, where you continue along the road to Villa El Triunfo, until
kilometer 54, to connect with the highway to Mactún. Following the latter
for 11 kilometers, there is a 4-kilometer dirt road that leads to the
archaeological zone.

Description of the area

The site occupies two low-lying hills covering 72 ha. Delimited by the San
Pedro Mártir River to the south and by the El Sayá stream to the north,
although it has not yet been fully explored. It has large plazas surrounded
by tall structures with very elongated profiles, which remind us of the
architecture of Tikal or the towers of Río Bec.

In the main complex you can distinguish seven medium-sized buildings

and some smaller ones. Several steles and sculptures were found here
that are currently exhibited in the José Gómez Panaco Museum in the city
of Balancán.

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Estimated travel time: 1 hour and 30 minutes.

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 Comalcalco

Description of the area

The constructions registered in Comalcalco are 282, of which,

105 are rural habitation mounds, 46 rural habitation platforms,

62 residential platforms, 29 ceremonial platforms, 7 bases supporting

constructions, 3 civil constructions and 4 specialized function platforms.

The main architectural complexes of Comalcalco are: The Great Acropolis,

The North Plaza, The East Acropolis and the West Group.

The Great Acropolis. It is formed by a large artificial platform 35 m high, on

which several buildings are distributed at different levels, such as: The
Palace, The Sunken Patio, The Tomb of the Stuccos or the Nine Lords of
the Night and the Temples V, VI, VII and VIII. The palace. It is the largest
building; It measures approximately 80 m long by 8 m wide and 9 m high.

Location

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It is located at Ranchería Norte Km. 1.5, Carretera a Comalcalco, 50
minutes from Villahermosa.

From the city of Villahermosa, you can reach the archaeological zone of

Comalcalco, along highway 180 to Cárdenas, from there take highway

187 to

Comalcalco, continuing from there along the same road to the junction, 2
km. Ahead, with the local road to the Independencia ranchería, which
leads to the archaeological zone, with a total distance of 89 km.

It can also be reached through the state highway that goes from
Villahermosa to Nacajuca, Jalpa de Méndez, Comalcalco, which has a
total distance to the archaeological zone of 55 km.

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 Malpasito

Description of the area

The area covers 87 ha and 53 buildings have been explored.

Among its structures the following stand out: the ball court, the large plaza
and a sunken patio. Another of the main attractions of the site are 60
petroglyphs in which you can admire characters, animals and geometric
designs, as well as symbolic representations related to fertility and hunting
rites.

Location

It is located 137 km, approximately two and a half hours away.

Beautiful villa.

Approximate journey time: 120 minutes or 2 HRS.

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 Pomoná
Description of the area
Only one of the six architectural groups has been explored, the one
located at the northern end of Group I. There is a rectangular-based plaza
surrounded by 13 buildings. In the center of the square is a low altar and
the most important structure is Temple IV with beautifully carved panels
depicting the god Kin, the sun.
Another relevant find was the “scribe’s tombstone”, a stele and a bust
representing two unidentified dignitaries, a mask of the jaguar sun god of
the underworld, the carved tablets from Building 4, the figure of an old
man with a beard and hat and other objects such as curious flint knives.
Pomoná Site Museum
This museum is housed in a prototype of the traditional Tabasco house
with hipped roofs covered in tiles and an interior patio. Inside, various
pieces of ceramics, metates, green stone axes, flint knives and various
boards with hieroglyphic inscriptions, among many other objects, are
exhibited.
Location
It is located two hours and 45 minutes from Villahermosa. It can be
reached by highway 186 that goes from the city of Villahermosa to
Escárcega; 20 km from Playas de Catazajá, turn right, taking the state
highway that passes through Emiliano Zapata and continue towards
Tenosique; after traveling 45 km. The detour that reaches the
archaeological zone is on the left. Ejido Pomoná, 2nd. Section, Tenosique
de Pino Suárez, Tab.

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