Zaculeu

About this place

Zaculeu is a Maya site in the highlands of western Guatemala, 3.7 km from the city of Huehuetenango, and the area's main tourist attraction. It lies at 1,900 m, and its restored white pyramids look unlike most Maya sites, as they are coated in plaster the way they once were. The name means «white earth». It was occupied from the Early Classic period and was the capital of the Postclassic Mam kingdom, then conquered by the K'iche' kingdom, so its architecture mixes both styles. In 1525 Spanish forces besieged it for several months, until its last ruler, Kayb'il B'alam, surrendered because of starvation. The United Fruit Company restored the site in the late 1940s. Temple-pyramids with double stairways stand around wide plazas, with a ball court and a small museum. Government palaces line the plazas, while a grassy mound behind them remains unrestored. From the terraces you see the Sierra de los Cuchumatanes in the distance, and deep ravines protect the site on the south and east, leaving only a narrow land bridge as the way in. It stands on a plateau over the Selegua River, near San Lorenzo village, and is easily reached by taxi from the city. It opens daily from 8:00 to 16:00, according to official information. Do not walk on the restored walls, as the plaster is fragile. Bring a jacket, as it can turn cool near sunset. An hour or two is enough, and carry cash in quetzales.