Famous Mayan ruins and temples in Guatemala
Tikal is located in the state of Petén,characterized by almost continuous rainforest. This is the area where the ancient Mayan civilization built its impressive cities. Tikal was one of the largest and most powerful cities of the Mayans. It is one of the best examples of Petén-style Mayan architecture. It was not until 1848 that the city was rediscovered and the first large-scale excavations began in 1950. Since the city is spread over an area of 16km² and has 3,000 structures, only a part has been excavated. Most of the city is still overgrown. The city is dominated by five main temples, pyramids up to 65 meters high that protrude above the canopy of the rainforest. The forest around Tikal, like many of the other sites, is protected by a national park and the sites are teeming with animals such as parrots, toucans, spider and howler monkeys and nose bear.
