Masonry Altars
Broad stairs.
Denis Barthel — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Denis Barthel — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Denis Barthel — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Denis Barthel — CC BY-SA 4.0
The closest major Maya site to Belize City, about 50 kilometres north of it and 10 kilometres from the sea. It was a wealthy trading city on the coastal trade routes, its ruins spreading over some eight square kilometres, yet archaeologists only learned of it in 1963. At its heart are two neighbouring plazas ringed by temples and palaces. Its largest building, the Temple of the Masonry Altars with its broad stairs, yielded a huge carved jade head of the Maya sun god, one of the largest carved jades in the Maya world and now a national symbol. The site is compact, tidy and easy to walk, with grassy plazas shaded by trees, and visitors can climb some of the temples. The surrounding forest is full of birds, and near the site is an old reservoir where the city collected its water. Being close to the road, it makes a half day from Belize City and is popular with cruise passengers, so go early to beat the crowds. Heat and humidity are high and mosquitoes plentiful, so carry water, repellent and a hat.
Broad stairs.
Temples and palaces.
In the forest.
Old Northern Highway, about 50 km north of Belize City
BZ$20 for non-residents; it makes a half-day trip from Belize City.