Tikal
Tikal History
During the Maya civilization, the city of Tikal thrived in what is now Guatemala. The center of the city contained the palaces and religious temples. Tikal was once home to around 100,000 Mayan people. Tikal dates from 400 BC and grew into one of the largest and most powerful of the Mayan cities during the Classic Period (AD 200-900). It was often at war with other cities in the region, and was eventually defeated by the city of Caracol from Belize in 562 AD. King Ah Cacau returned Tikal to its former glory about a century later, and it remained somewhat prosperous until the general decline of Mayan civilization.
Around 900 AD, Tikal declined as Maya civilization in the region suffered collapse during the end of their Classic period. There are many potential reasons for this including overpopulation, environmental degradation, drought and the Maya’s long history of warfare.
Tikal was eventually abandoned completely, consumed by the jungle, and forgotten. Stories of its existence began to surface and spread during the 17th and 18th centuries. During the the mid-1800′s, expeditions were hatched to explore and map it. The University of Pennsylvania oversaw major excavation at Tikal during the 1960′s while the government of Guatemala began the work in late 1970′s.
Tikal was one of the greatest and most populated cities of the Mayan civilization, at its peak sustaining some 200,000 people within its 30 square miles. Only a fraction of Tikal’s more than 3,000 buildings have been excavated, allowing visitors to see temples, palaces, tombs and religious monuments.
Tikal Visitor Information
Tikal’s main gate opens at 6:00am and closes at 6:00pm. Tickets to the park are purchased at the main gate across from the Visitors Center near the parking lot. A ticket into Tikal cost 20USD for adults and tickets purchased after 3:30pm are also valid the next day.
There are two hotels in Tikal National Park. The Tikal Inn and the Jungle Lodge have comfortable accommodations, which include hot showers, two double beds, whirling ceiling fans was well as restaurant service. Visitors can also rent tents or sleep in hammocks if they are on a budget. This option is commonly used by backpackers.
The site is busiest during the day when tours from Flores and neighboring Belize come to the park. The best hours to avoid the crowds are early in the morning or after 2pm when the tours leave for lunch. This is also the best time to see the wildlife as the crowds no longer scare them away.
Tikal Conservation Efforts
Nearby cities and towns put pressure on the park as many people burn the surrounding forest for farming and cattle grazing as well as illegally extracting forest products from the park itself. Increasing tourism has caused damage to the buildings, disrupted the habitat of some animal and bird species, and created a garbage problem. Moreover, high turnover rate among park staff is a problem because it reduces management stability.
The Nature Conservancy recently helped the Guatemalan Ministry of Culture develop new master plan for Tikal National Park, replacing old one that was created in the 1970s. The plan puts primary emphasis on protecting the natural and cultural heritage of Tikal and sets up a framework for sustainable tourism management. This should help reduce the impact of tourism and help preserve the park for future generations as well as help the local population.
Tagged With Central America, Guatemala, Mayan Culture, Mayan Ruins, Tikal, UNESCO