| Located in the western part of Yucatan Peninsula; | | | | and resound throughout the Mayan city. In Edzna, 19 |
| Edzna also referred to as the House of the Grimaces | | | | stelae were found around 670 A.D. and are proudly |
| contains hieroglyphics, main building with five floors, | | | | being displayed. On the south side of Mayan Acropolis, |
| ballcourt and large and small acropolises. Acropolis | | | | a Ballcourt can be found with its western stone ring |
| means city on the cliff or outer edge. In the earlier | | | | intact. The Ballcourt is a field were sporting events |
| times, naturally as a means of defence, the Mayan | | | | would take place, two teams would meet and play |
| settlers chose highly elevated locations to build their | | | | with a ball using their hips only. The goal was to throw |
| cities. These citadels became centers of larger cities, | | | | the ball through the stone ring located about 8 meters |
| which expanded on the surrounding grounds. A perfect | | | | above ground. As you can imagine this was quite a |
| example of this is modern Rome. | | | | task and surprisingly the person scoring the goal would |
| The term acropolis is also used to describe the central | | | | be sacrificed to the gods (this means the goal scorer |
| complex of overlapping structures, such as plazas and | | | | of THE WINNING TEAM). It was presumably a great |
| pyramids, in many Mayan cities, including Edzna. | | | | honour for the person being sacrificed. |
| The Edificio de Cinco Pisos translated as The Building | | | | Getting there: One bus makes three daily round-trips |
| of Five Floors can be found on top of the colossal | | | | from the market in Campeche to Alfredo Bonfil (1.5 |
| Gran Acropolis. To reach the building, you will need to | | | | hour ride), leaving you at the Edzna access road. |
| step-up, sixty-five stairs. You may notice that some of | | | | Watch out not to get stranded, be sure to ask the |
| these stairs are engraved with hieroglyphics carbon | | | | driver about the time for the last ride back to |
| dating back to 700 A.C. Carbon or radioactive dating is | | | | Campeche. Make sure to carry plenty of water and |
| used by scientists to determine the age of | | | | insect repellent while inside Edzna's jungle surroundings. |
| archaeological artefacts. It has several testing uses in | | | | (Site open daily 8 a.m.to 5 p.m. with free Admission on |
| materials such as bone, wood, cloth, plant fibres, and | | | | Sundays) |
| material deposits. | | | | Grutas de Xtacumbilxunaan: |
| As you reach the top of the Larger Acropolis you will | | | | These network of underground caves is translated as |
| see columns crowned by a five-room temple. During | | | | The Caves of the Sleeping Beauty; can be found |
| the time of zenith, defined as direction pointing directly | | | | approximately 27 kilometres from Yucatan-Campeche |
| above a particular location, one can observe | | | | border. You can get a tour into the abyss by using a |
| astonishing network of irrigation canals criss-crossing | | | | stone stairway to reach several deep cenotes filled |
| the valley close to the Rio Champoton located | | | | with material deposits called ceiba. The illuminated |
| approximately 20 kilometres to the west of the | | | | areas inside of the caves point to several rock |
| Acropolis. This system consists of twenty-seven | | | | formations which look like a flying eagle, a puppy with |
| water reservoirs, twenty-nine canals and over seventy | | | | huge sad eyes and a hanging mop. If you like me love |
| man-made water cisterns. It is a mystery how these | | | | rock climbing, a two-day tour is organized with local |
| water cisterns were built, since it was discovered that | | | | guides who can take you 150 metres underground to |
| neither metal tools nor the power of the wheel was | | | | experience seven interconnected cenotes. You must |
| used in their creation. On the eastern side of the | | | | bring your own climbing equipment to transverse and |
| Building of Five Floors you can go up farther 15 steps | | | | climb these underground sink-holes. Getting to Grutas |
| to reach Nohoch-Na (literally The Large House). It | | | | de Xtacumbilxunaan is easy, they are right on the |
| resembles a stadium with four large rooms standing on | | | | carretera federal 261, about 30 kilometres north of |
| the lower base (or main room) structure. The Acropolis | | | | Hopelchen and 8 km south of Bolonchen. You can |
| provides for a magnificent acoustic phenomenon. If | | | | drive or take a second-class bus which drops you right |
| you shout, the sound waves will turn into a near roar | | | | at the access road. |