Ek' Balam "Black Jaguar"
Ekbalam Travel Blog
› entry 34 of 39 › view all entriesApril 6th, 2009 – by: geokid

Ek' Balam "Black Jaguar"
Ek' Balam "Black Jaguar" is located 114 miles east of the city of Mérida, Yucatan, and can be reached over highway 295 to Tizimin.
Ek' Balam sought and may have achieved a high status in public affairs and preferred trade in the eastern Yucatan based the great investment made in monumental architecture. The first structure you find when entering the
Ek Balam arch that is a four-sided located over one of the sacbes or roads that were used to connect various ancient cities. To the right of this building is the Palacio Oval which is a semi-spiral shaped tower. Another building worth seeing is El Juego de Pelota (Ball Court) and Las Gemelas (The Twins). Visually the most impressive of the monumental structures is the grand central plaza with three massive ceremonial structures.

Ek' Balam "Black Jaguar"

Ek' Balam "Black Jaguar"
Ek' Balam entered a period of urban renewal that lasted from 700 AD to 1000 AD. During this time many older buildings were enlarged to how they appear today. During this time Ek' Balam control the entire region north of Valladolid. Restoration at Ek'Balam has been constant since 1997. The Acropolis is the largest structure to be restored. It measures 480 feet by 180 feet with a maximum height of 96 feet. This structure has been enlarged over time to be six levels. It is likely that the highest ranking people of the state resided in this structure. It is permitted to climb this structure. From the top the entire site can be viewed. The entrance of the Acropolis is guarded by a carved stone monster-like figure that is thought to be from the underworld. Ek' Balam is a joy to visit, because it is never crowded with tourists. The facilities are limited to one restroom and their are no food and refreshment vendors present at the site. So up must plan ahead and pack a picnic lunch to enjoy at the site. Ek Balam is open from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, the entrance fee was 79 pesos. There is an additional fee for tripods and movie cameras. This site was still free on Sundays and holidays.

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