Xlapak Archeological Zone
Address:
Description:
Of the Puuc sites, Xlapak gives the visitor the best idea of the difficulty archeologists face in uncovering and reconstructing ancient cities. Three structures at Xlapak (pronounced shla-pahck) have been restored and 14 other mounds hint at riches yet undiscovered. Called "old wall" in Maya, Xlapak was not the original name of the settlement: it is just the term used by locals to refer to the ruins.Given its proximity to the larger nearby sites of Sayil and Labná, Xlapak was likely joined somehow to one or the other. Like its Puuc Route sister cities, Xlapak peaked during the Late Classic period, or from the 8th to 10th centuries A.D. In style, Xlapak exemplifies the Classic or Florescent Puuc, in which the highly decorated upper portions of buildings contrast with the rather plain surfaces of the lower sections.
The Palace (El Palacio)
The principal reconstructed edifice at Xlapak features prominent and intricately hewn masks of Chac, the Yucatec Maya rain god.
After visiting Xlapak, go see other Mayan ruins at Uxmal, Sayil, Kabáh, Labná, and Mayapan.
Location: Xlapak is located 118 km from Merida and 16 miles southeast of Uxmal on Highway 31, near the intersection with Highway 261. The site is 5 km east of Sayil, 4 km west of Labna and 30 km southwest of the town of Oxkutzcab.
Hours of Operation: Daily, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., free admission. No services.
