Kohunlich

About

Kohunlich was first settled around 200 BC and abandoned by the 14th century. Though the site’s original name has been lost in time, it’s believed that it was an important stopping point on the southern trade routes. Today, the site is over 20 acres of dense jungle dotted with captivating ruins. Right at the entrance, visitors are greeted by the noble’s residential area and the monumental acropolis. Heading further into the jungle, you’ll be treated to more temple ruins and the calls of howler monkeys until you arrive at the most impressive monument: the Temple of the Masks. Built between the 4th and 7th centuries, the main stairway of this 10-meter-tall pyramid is flanked with intricate masks of the Sun God Kin’ich Ahau, each larger than a man! Located slightly away from the main sites, a walk through the jungle will bring you to the elite residential area, where palaces and high-ranking tombs were built atop a platform.