Ek' Balam
A Maya city north of Valladolid whose acropolis facade still has finely detailed stucco winged figures and a Jaguar Mouth sculpture. It sees far fewer visitors than Chichén Itzá.
Ek' Balam means Black Jaguar. It was a Maya city-state between about AD 700 and 1000, located about 30 km north of Valladolid, a half-hour drive away. The main structure is an acropolis about 30 m high. Climb partway up and you can see well-preserved stucco carvings: a doorway in the shape of a monster's open mouth, flanked by winged human figures. This is the tomb of the ruler Ukit Kan Le'k Tok'. The site also has a ball court, twin pyramids, and an oval palace. Whether you can climb to the top depends on the current site rules. It can be visited together with the X'Canché cenote.
Opening hours
08:00–17:00
Nearby sights
- Cenote X'Canché
- Cenote Hubiku
- Cenote Suytun
- Cenote Zací
- San Roque Museum
- Valladolid Historic Centre
- Casa de los Venados
- Church of San Servacio