ZONA ARQUEOLÓGICA XTAMPAK

We enter the archaeological site of Santa Rosa Xtampak after climbing a few hundred meters of a path cluttered with stones that are constantly stirred up by the torrential rains of the season. The path then leads to the main square of the site, where you come upon one of the sides of the most memorable structure of this vast place, the Palacio . The palace is an imposing edifice built on three levels and comprises forty rooms in all: twenty-eight on the first level, twelve on the second and five on the third, connected to each other by interior staircases. It is a rare fact that the building was built as it was when it was constructed. It was not added to in any way and is now considered one of the best designed and executed buildings in the entire Maya area. On one of the other sides of this central plaza is another interesting building, theEdificio con boca de serpiente (the building with the snake's mouth), whose temple has that zoomorphic façade so characteristic of the region: carved stones, intertwined and entangled, form around the entrance door a gigantic mask representing a being from the inframundo, or underworld. It is not by far the best example of this type of sculpture in the region, but it is the best preserved on this site. If you want to get some height, go to the top of the cerro de la estrella (the hill of the star), an ancient pyramid on which the only stelae of the city were found. Finally, to complete your visit, head for the Cuadrangulo del Sureste (Southeast Quadrangle), , whose layout and architectural characteristics of the four buildings facing each other are more associated with the Puuc style. If we continue towards the exit along the alternative route (that is, without returning to the central plaza), we will once again come across a very attractive complex, the cuartel, a large plaza measuring 50 by 40 metres, whose buildings display all the architectural characteristics of the Chenes style. However, if one looks closely, the arrangement of the remarkable zoomorphic decorations superimposed around the doorways and covering parts of the outer walls is more reminiscent of the Río Bec style of decorative arrangement than of the Chenes temples, where the masks are superimposed on the corners of the buildings themselves.