Mexico: Uxmal
The most imposing structure here is the Casa del Adivino (magician's house), 35m tall temple with rounded corners. It is named so after a legend which claims that it was built over one night by a dwarf trying to flaunt his magic skills. The square behind the structure, known as the cuadrangulo de las Monjas (nunnery quadrangle), gives a good historical account of the place. The square is surrounded by four temples on each side, each one having been built during a different era. The older ones dominated unilaterally by Chaac Mool and the newer ones sharing its facade with Chaac Mool and Kukulcan (Mayan name for the Toltec God, Quetzalcoatl), the clear indication of the influence the central Mexican Toltec culture had on the region in the later years of Mayan history.
The southern section of the ruins contains an architecturally rich 100m long Palacio del Gobernador (governor's palace) and El Gran Piramide (the grand pyramid). Scaling the 32m high grand pyramid rewards you with a breathtaking view of the entire complex.
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