Photo album: "Mexico, Yucatán: Uxmal"
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The
next excursion, still on Tuesday March 17th, 1973, is the visit of the
archaeological site of Uxmal. This site is situated approximately 80 kilometres
south of Mérida. Uxmal was founded in the 6th century B.C. and became, later,
the main ceremonial centre of the Puuc civilization. Around the year 900, began
the decline of the city and Uxmal was, later, abandoned, probably, after a long
period of extreme drought.
We leave Mérida, in the evening, on Wednesday March 28th, after having spent
the day walking in the town. We take advantage of a last day, on Thursday March
29th, to visit Mexico City and we leave Mexico, at noon, on
Friday March 30th, 1973.
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The Pyramid of the Soothsayer (or Magician) has an elliptical base and is about 30 metres high. We see, here, the rear of the pyramid with its large stairway leading to the third platform. The angle between the stairway and the horizontal base is 30 degrees. We can see, on the photo, how laborious it is to climb! |
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Side view of the Pyramid of the Soothsayer: On the right of the photo is the rear side and on the left, the stairway much steeper (45° of inclination) which permit to get to the temple situated on the first platform. |
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Downward view from the first platform of the Pyramid of the Soothsayer, in front of the entrance of the temple. |
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Front view of the Pyramid of the Soothsayer. The stairway leads to the temple called "the house of the soothsayer". |
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This structure had been called by the Spanish conquerors, the Nunnery Quadrangle. It is formed by four buildings (totalising 74 rooms) around a large rectangular plaza. |
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The Nunnery Quadrangle: The façade of the buildings is decorated with bas relief carvings in the pure Puuc style, with alternation of horizontal lines and geometrical drawings interrupted with masks of Chaac, the god of rain. |
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The Nunnery Quadrangle: Detail of masks of Chaac, the god of rain, surrounded with geometrical drawings. |
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The Nunnery Quadrangle: The Temple of Venus. |
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The Nunnery Quadrangle: The typically shaped entrance arch. |
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View through the entrance arch of the Nunnery Quadrangle. |
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The Nunnery Quadrangle: Doors, surmounted with bas relief carvings, opening to the inside of a building. |
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The Nunnery Quadrangle: Door surmounted with masks of Chaac, the god of rain. |
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Panorama of Uxmal with the two main monuments: On the left, the Nunnery Quadrangle and, on the right, the Pyramid of the Soothsayer. |
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The excursionists tired, after a
long day of visit are taking a few moments of rest. On the background,
another monument of important dimensions, called by the Spanish "the
Palace of the Governor". Here ends our visit of Uxmal. |
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Back to Mérida, on Wednesday March 28th, this is a modern monument whose style reminds us, though, the style of the sites we have visited: It is the Monument of the Nation, situated Paseo Montejo. |
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The carvings on the Monument of the Nation recall the history of Mexico, from its beginning until 1956, the year the monument has been built. |
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We are back to Mexico City: On
Thursday March 29th, 1973, we visit the archaeological museum and some
other places of the city. We are, now, in front of the ancient palace of
Chapultepec which became the house of Maximilian of Austria when he was
named emperor of Mexico by Napoleon III, in 1864. He faced a strong
opposition and his reign ended in 1867 when he was arrested and sentenced
to death. The palace has, now, become a museum. |
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