Mayan Ruins of Tulum - Tulum, Mexico
Posted by: 
denben
N 20° 12.911 W 087° 25.827
16Q E 455033 N 2235352
The Tulum ruins are situated on a 12-meter (39 ft) high cliff along the east coast of the Yucatán Peninsula on the Caribbean Sea in the state of Quintana Roo.
Waymark Code: WMY411
Location: Quintana Roo, Mexico
Date Posted: 04/16/2018
Views: 4
Tulum was one of the last cities built and inhabited by the Maya; it was at its height between the 13th and 15th centuries and managed to survive about 70 years after the Spanish began occupying Mexico. Old World diseases brought by the Spanish settlers appear to have resulted in very high fatalities, disrupting the society and eventually causing the city to be abandoned. One of the best-preserved coastal Maya sites, Tulum is today a popular site for tourists.
There are three major structures of interest at the Tulum site. El Castillo, the Temple of the Frescoes, and the Temple of the Descending God are the three most famous buildings. Among the more spectacular buildings here is the Temple of the Frescoes that included a lower gallery and a smaller second story gallery. The Temple of the Frescoes was used as an observatory for tracking the movements of the sun.
Located within the Tulum National Park, Tulum archaeological site is relatively compact compared with many other Maya sites in the vicinity, and is one of the best-preserved coastal Maya sites. Its proximity to the modern tourism developments along the Mexican Caribbean coastline and its short distance from Cancún and the surrounding "Riviera Maya" has made it a popular Maya tourist site in the Yucatan. Daily tour buses bring a constant stream of visitors to the site. The Tulum ruins are the third most-visited archaeological site in Mexico, after Teotihuacan and Chichen Itza, receiving over 2.2 million visitors in 2017.
There is access from the ruins to a sheltered beach (requires taking stairs), so you may want to wear a swimsuit and bring a towel. We had a dip when we were there - it was a nice refreshing break from the hot weather.
The coordinates were taken at the Archaeological Site Visitor Center.
Source: (
visit link)