mattmeyers
5 - Coba (06)
The Crossroads Temple.
Cobá is a large ruined city of the Pre-Columbian Maya civilization, located in Quintana Roo. Its name means "ruffled waters", derived from the five lakes in the vicinity, and it is one of the oldest Mayan settlements on the peninsula. A series of elevated stone and plaster roads radiate from the central site to various smaller sites near and far. These are known by the Maya term "sacbe" (plural "sacbeob"). Some of these causeways go east to the Caribbean coast, and the longest runs over 100 km to the west to the site of Yaxuna.
The site contains several large temple pyramids, the tallest, known as Nohoch Mul, being over 130 feet high. Both of these suggest a major city - yet the ruins were not discovered until the late 19th century. Even today, only a small fraction of the many structures in this vast site have been excavated and this, together with the remoteness and jungle setting, contribute to the feeling of exploring new ground.
5 - Coba (06)
The Crossroads Temple.
Cobá is a large ruined city of the Pre-Columbian Maya civilization, located in Quintana Roo. Its name means "ruffled waters", derived from the five lakes in the vicinity, and it is one of the oldest Mayan settlements on the peninsula. A series of elevated stone and plaster roads radiate from the central site to various smaller sites near and far. These are known by the Maya term "sacbe" (plural "sacbeob"). Some of these causeways go east to the Caribbean coast, and the longest runs over 100 km to the west to the site of Yaxuna.
The site contains several large temple pyramids, the tallest, known as Nohoch Mul, being over 130 feet high. Both of these suggest a major city - yet the ruins were not discovered until the late 19th century. Even today, only a small fraction of the many structures in this vast site have been excavated and this, together with the remoteness and jungle setting, contribute to the feeling of exploring new ground.