Zaculeu maya ruins

Zaculeu is a mayan archaeological site located in Huehuetenango. The original name of the city is Xinabajul and holds a rich history of warriors and resistance against the spanish conquest. Zaculeu comes from a king named "Zakuleu".

The size of its temples is not as huge as the ones found at Tikal but the structures are not small at all. It was founded at the Preclassic by the mams near Selegua River.

The appearance of the buildings also differs in style from the rest of maya cities found in Guatemala as a restoration wasn't made as it was supposed to be by a fruit company who dominated a lot of the economic activities back then. Originally built with green looking rocks covered by stucco and painted with vivid colors. The restoration tried to achieve the same look but applied the paintings while the white cover was still fresh, so the images and colors where absorbed and loosed its intensity.

At the place you can find symmetric buildings, the great temples and foot ball court.

The Spanish conquest found a fierce resistance in the Zaculeu warriors who enclosed the city to avoid being taken over.

All the mayan cities are built in strategic locations on hills or surrounded by natural defenses. In this case it turned against their occupants as after closing the city found themselves with no way out, no food and no water.

After this failed resistance the city was taken over and their warriors sacrificed. Its been said that Kaibil Balam, a noble from the city escaped and was never taken captive.

Directions on how to get to Zaculeu

Drive from Guatemala city via the CA1 road passing by Solola and Quetzaltenango until reaching Huehuetenango City. The archaeological site is nearby. By the time we visited the place was kinda confusing as the main road to the site was closed by maintenance works and it was needed to take some turns that almost got us lost. So ask the locals as there are to access roads to the site, one from the CA1 passing by small residential and the other one from the heart of Huehuetenango.

The whole drive is about 5 hours from Guatemala City. Consider making a one day visit from Quetzaltenango.
Related notes

Visit the CuchumatanesVisit the Cuchumatanes

15/11/2011
The landscape here in Huehuetenango break with tradition seen in Guatemala and make you feel like you're outside the country. I arrived in Huehuetenango with great expectations he had received comments from the rocky landscape,  [ más ]

Cave of the lighting Cueva del rayoCave of the lighting Cueva del rayo

08/05/2011
Caving, study and exploration of caves, is a fascinating activity, of course, not suitable for claustrophobic (phobia of enclosed spaces or small rooms.) On this occasion, we went to Huehuetenango to visit this interesting cave.  [ más ]

Laguna Brava, Yolnabaj in HuehuetenangoLaguna Brava, Yolnabaj in Huehuetenango

25/02/2011
Not all beautiful places are close at hand. This is something that we have seen in each of our trips and to get this gap will have to earn the trip. If at this time  [ más ]

Laguna MagdalenaLaguna Magdalena

23/02/2011
Among the most beautiful places in Guatemala, Madgalena Lagoon in located in Huehuetenango and can be called a real paradise that makes you want to come back again and again. Getting there involves a 18  [ más ]

The CimarronThe Cimarron

23/02/2011
A dry area in Huehuetenango with little population has a place surrounded by legends called -Cimarron-. Here in the middle of dry land heated by the direct sunlight there is a deep hole, perfectly round  [ más ]

Laguna BravaLaguna Brava

23/02/2011
Getting to Laguna Brava is quite an adventure. This journey is not for the addicts to hotels and spas but ideal to the adventurous. It takes a while to get there from Guatemala city. This  [ más ]

You might also like to read about

San Pedro La Laguna AtitlanSan Pedro La Laguna Atitlan

Panajachel and San Pedro, on the shores of Lake Atitlan is perhaps seem the most visited of the lake. Although both have Guatemalan and foreign visits, Panajachel has been formed over time as a joint  [ más ]

San Andres Xecul and its unique church in QuetzaltenangoSan Andres Xecul and its unique church in Quetzaltenango

If you visit Xela, the main city of Quetzaltenango (and second largest-modern city in Guatemala), take the time to visit this colorful church in San Andres Xecul. It's about 20 minutes from the center of  [ más ]

San Buenaventura at Lake AtitlanSan Buenaventura at Lake Atitlan

Widely Known as the Butterfly Preserve or simply as -El Mariposario-, San Buenaventura is a beautiful natural preservation park located at just minutes from Panajachel (less than a mile). You can get there walking, on  [ más ]

Chicabal Lagoon in QuetzaltenangoChicabal Lagoon in Quetzaltenango

Photo by JorgExtremo Of all the volcanoes of Guatemala are famous for having two lakes in its crater. One is the Ipala Volcano (which some say is in Jutiapa and others in Chiquimula, but see  [ más ]