Palace of the Masks
A facade of masks.
Ricardo Navarro — CC BY-SA 3.0 · eileenmak — CC BY 4.0 · eileenmak — CC BY 4.0 · eileenmak — CC BY 4.0 · eileenmak — CC BY 4.0
Kabah is a Maya archaeological site in the Puuc region of western Yucatán, about 80 km in a straight line south of Mérida and about 18 km south-east of Uxmal. It is the second-largest ruin of the Puuc region after Uxmal, and together with Uxmal, Sayil and Labná it has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996. The area was inhabited from the mid-3rd century BCE, but most of the architecture visible today was built between the 7th and 11th centuries CE. Kabah was linked to Uxmal by a raised causeway 18 km long and 5 m wide, with a monumental arch at each end, and its name is usually taken to mean «strong hand» in ancient Maya. Its most famous building is the Palace of the Masks, or Codz Poop, whose facade is covered with hundreds of repeated stone masks. The great Palace, with its tiers and columns, stands on a wide platform, while across the road rises the stone Arch of Kabah that once marked the start of the causeway, and more distant buildings are still covered by forest. Entry is paid, and the site is far quieter than Uxmal, so the two combine easily in one day on the Puuc Route. The sun is strong and shade is scarce, so bring water and a hat.
A facade of masks.
Start of the causeway.
Tiers and columns.
Federal Highway 261, Puuc region, Yucatán, Mexico
Yes, in one day on the Puuc Route.
Much quieter than Uxmal.