Edzná

Edzná is one of the most spectacular of the lesser-known and lesser-visited ancient Maya cities. Just 55 kilometers from modern Campeche, the ruins are among the most impressive in the state, and a must-visit if you\'re in the area. The archaelogical zone is complemented by an on-site museum that will give you the full picture, but suffice it to say, the site has been occupied since at least 400 BCE. What followed was among the most opulant and mysterious of the Maya world.

The name comes from the Yucatecan Mayan word Itzná that can be interpreted simply as House of the Itzáes, the Itzáes being the ruling family of the city. They didn\'t really take off here until about 400 CE, some 800 years later. There are structures from far earlier. But Edzná is especially known for the extensive system of canals, reservoirs, and drains intended to control and harvest the abundant water in the area. By 1000 CE, the city was one of the most prominent on the peninsula. 

The Temple of the Five Floors is the most striking structure on the site. Towering some 31 meters above its own 100-meter base, the views from up top are spectacular. The Grand Acropolis and ball courts and several temples still shine in the Campeche sun. The plaza also boasts peculiar acoustics that allow sounds to bounce around the plaza as though from the ancient Maya world. The entire complex includes some 25 square kilometers and is still known, to some, as the City of Echos.

Visitors are encouraged to dress for a day in the sun, with plenty of water. Most visitors will arrive quite early to avoid the strongest heat after 11 a.m. That\'s also when lines start to form outside the site museum. 

Don\'t forget, the entrance to the site is flanked by the Tren Maya Hotel Edzna. This is not just 15-minutes drive east from the Tren Maya station, but it also means most passengers can hitch a ride from the Tren Maya station. The hotel also offers transport, for registered guests, from San Francisco de Campeche.

Getting to Edzná from Campeche is not difficult. Those driving can simply take the state highway along the route through Pocyaxum, Nohacal and Tixmucuy. At the junction with Federal Highway 188, head east and the site is just 10 kms further. The route is well marked and in good repair.