TRAVELERS GUIDE SERIES

Travelers Guide to  Yucatan
         

EK BALAM

Prehispanic Maya city, jewel of architecture of the great mathematicians and architects of the late classic and post classic period, whose name in Maya means ‘ black jaguar’ or “jaguar star”, it is located 18 Kms from the colonial city of Valladolid, Yucatan; 180 Kms from the capital city of Merida and 180 Kms from Cancun, Quintana Roo.

This city, forgotten for centuries, today thanks to the restoration work of the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH), shows its splendor to the world to be admired it all its beauty.

The first foreign visitor who announced it existence to the world was the Frenchman, Desiré Charnay. In 1886, he visited it at the invitation of Dr. Francisco Canton, who had a ranch called Kanto, whose land extended to the ruins.

But the real rediscovery happened because of the works done by the students and faculty of the University of Tulane, headed by Dr William Ringle, under the vigilance of the INAH.

The area covers an extension of 10 square Kms in all, but the part which has been restored and that can be visited hardly covers 500 x 500 meters.

Eke Balm is divided in two plazas, the South Plaza which is the first to be seen and which is reached through the interior and exterior walls which protected the city in certain times of attack from the enemies of the “ principal lords” of the city. The visitor then passes through the “Mayan arch”, opening on to the rest of the buildings.

Among the most remarkable is the oval building, named for its oval form. It is made of limestone as are all the others of Ek Balam and has a height of 25 meters, with a base of about 60 meters. 

On its left side is the twin building, so called because of their similarity in form and size. In front of them, are the "plazas of the estellas” where you can admire two of them, in one the personage of Ukit Kna Lek can be distinguished, he was considered the King Ukit IV, which makes us imagine there was a reigning dynasty in Ek Balam. At the right, calendar glyphs can be seen, but because of their deterioration, they haven’t been able to be deciphered completely.

Enjoy Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo, Mexico

To the east of these estellas is the “place of adoration” with an extension of 30 meters at the base and a height of 10 meters. It is thought to be a place of adoration for the people of lower class, on the upper part of this there is a small altar that has a lot in common with the style of the ruins of Tulum.

 After the twin buildings we can see two not very tall buildings, corresponding to the “ball court”, where at the back are found rooms and on the interior are many ceramics and paintings, but because the deterioration  are not on public display.

After these constructions, the “great plaza” opens up.  In its surrounding area there are the most important and imposing buildings among which are: the convent, whose rooms on the upper part remind us of the cloisters inhabited by the ascetics,  and the “governors house”, which is the building thought to be the second tallest in the area. At the end of this plaza is located the “Acropolis”, imposing construction of 160 meters at the front base, 40 meters at the side base and 354 meters high.

In this building under tons of rocks, stones and dirt, some well-conserved sculptures have been found, unique in their style in all the Maya areas. One part of them represents a teratological (monstrous) being. On the upper part there is a personage accompanied by an entourage among which are some winged creatures. As always in this building in its central part is a stairway of stone leading to the top where there is a construction where the high priest is believed to have lived, and from which he directed the people. Under this in the great plaza where the people gathered, the acoustics are magnificent so that the words of the high priest could be heard with surprisingly clarity.

  If you visit Yucatan, have in your plans a visit to Ek Balam. It will be a pleasing and fascinating experience.

More tourist information

Main menu to
Yucatan Tourist Guide