El Rey Archaeological Zone, Cancun
El Rey Archaeological Zone, Cancun, Mexico
About El Rey Archaeological Zone, Quintana Roo
The ancient El Rey Archaeological Zone is a Mayan ruin site that is situated in Cancun’s popular Hotel Zone. It is easily accessible and is part of an important historical Mayan trade route of the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico. The Spanish words ‘El Rey’ directly translate in English as ‘The King’ which was aptly named after a stone sculpture that can be found at the site.
El Rey ruins is an easily accessible site that costs 50 pesos to enter and has 47 structures to explore. The site is around 520m/1700 ft from front to back and 70m/230 ft side to side. There are remnants of many buildings, though most have been broken down over the millennia. That being said there are a few significant buildings and pyramids that are still in excellent shape. Visitors who come to El Rey will be allowed to climb up on the pyramids and buildings to enjoy them up close and personal. Iguanas are numerous at the site and are quite used to seeing people.
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History of El Rey
El Rey dates back around 1000 years and had many functions in its heyday, as it was a very important piece of the Mayan trade route. Aside from a trade center it also served as a burial site for Mayan royals, as well as an astronomy center where early astronomers observed space and the stars. The site was first discovered in 1923 by Raymond Merwin and Samuel Lothrop. Through archaeological discovery, El Rey has been historically linked to other Mayan ruins such as Chichen Itza in the Yucatan, and Edzna in Campeche. El Rey also had a direct line of communication and trade with Xel Ha, Tankah, Tulum, and Xaman Ha.
How to Get to El Rey Archaeological Zone
Map of El Rey Archaeological
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