Mayan City Architecture
No matter where the city was located, all of the sites had at least two things in common: the axis of the development and the basic layout of the buildings. Each city was set upon an axis in correspondence to the compass directions (north, east, south, and west). This was based heavily on their knowledge and worship of the sky and the celestial bodies that it contains.
Almost every city was also built with the temples, palaces and government buildings in the center, with the common homes and such spreading around them. Some of the cities had an absolute grid-like pattern, while others sprawled without any noticeable pattern.
Resources and Trade Routes
The size of the city, as well as its location, was almost always dictated by the resources available to that area at that time. Fresh water, fertile land for raising crops, and access to trade routes all influenced where the cities where built, how large they would become, and even how long they would stay inhabited. Some cities built as ports along the sea, for instance, flourished for generations, and then, when trade routes began to be more popular by land, slowly dwindled until the people relocated and abandoned the city.
While the pyramid-shaped temples are commonly the first thing that comes to mind when thinking of the Maya, many other structures hold the same aura of fascination. The ceremonial platforms, commonly made of limestone and less than four meters high, were used to hold public ceremonies and the religious rites that were so much a part of their daily lives. The palaces, ranging in size from elaborate acropolises to simple, one-storied buildings, housed the royal leaders and their families, and often included tombs underground for their dead.
Visit Mayan Cities
For those who wish to see these amazing structures themselves, there are several sites that are open to the public, with various tours and museums to choose from. Some of the largest and most popular ones include Tikal (in Guatemala) and Coba (in Mexico). Some are easier than others to access, as there are several that are miles from the nearest town. In some cases, you may be required to hike, fly, or ride a tour bus in order to reach the site. However, if you are willing to go through the trouble to reach it, you are sure to find it well worth it.
