Description
62km from Comitan city, over calcareous hills, there are three great water deposits —the Blue
Cenote and Chanujabab and Tepancuapan— there were four main nucleus to conform this Maya site, where
water and sun gods are sacred and give the best example of Maya architecture; Chinkultic in Maya is Stepped
deep hole. The first observations have been defined during early classic (100 AC to 200 a. C.) and the peak
during late classic (600—900 a. C.) The chronology is given due to made studies about pottery.
The flourishing period to place during classic Maya; the so called Acropolis crowns one of the hills and is
composed of five structures, three small adorations, the major temple of five stepped bodies and a basement
next to the Cenote where the offers were launched. Chinkultic has also a ball play with associated sculptures.
Besides its archeological interest, this site adds a spectacular location over a lacustres zone and wide
plains.
It is also outstanding Group B formed by a great plaza, used as a scenic space, sunken with its
small central structure, three pyramids, at the bottom steps on three sides; Group C, where the ball play is
located, and Group D with building 20 known as Lajas platform, whose rectangular chair
blocks are the biggest known in Mayan archeology.
The room area is of 200 big and small hills, around six main groups, including the area of the called
Acropolis or Group A; the quadrangular of the B group; C group, with the ball game and the platform. The
famous Blue Water Cenote is 50 meters below and to side the elevated temple 1 and the cliff, almost
straight at parts of A group. In Chinkultic can be observed a extraordinary work made by stone Maya.
Weather
Semi hot. Sub humid, with summer rains.
Location
La Trinitaria municipality, at the state's border region.
How to get there?
62 Km from Comitan in the Highway 190 to La Trinitaria and then for south border, and then a 3km detour to Parque Nacional Lagunas de Montebello, and to right continue for a rural way to do it.
What to do?
Visit archeological vestiges, trekking and landscape observation.
Visit time
8:00 to 17:00 monday to sunday
$30.00 entrance monday to friday. Sunday and holy days are free entrance.
Free entrance: Older 60 years, 13 years and younger, retired, pensioners, disabled, teachers, and students,
investigators and students and INAH permits.
Travel hints
The place can be visited all year and it is suggested to bring drinking water, food and adequate clothes and mountain shoes, sweat shirts, a raincoat for summer rains.
Places nearby
Parador Museo Santa Maria and Lagunas de Montebello National Park.
Contact
Instituto Nacional de Antropologia e Historia (INAH)
Calzada de los hombres ilustres S/N
Tuxtla Gutierrez,
Tel. 01 (961) 613-4554 / 612-8360 /
613-44503
Secretaria de Turismo
(Tourism State Office)
National toll free number: 01 (800) 280-3500
