Any visit to Guatemala should include plenty of time to explore the ancient city of Tikal, the largest of the ruined cities of the Mayan civilization. For centuries, Guatemala and other regions of the Yucatan Peninsula were the strongholds of the Mayans, and Tikal was clearly one of the civilization’s most important cities.

Located in the northern El Peten department of Guatemala, Tikal is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and part of the Tikal National Park, formed in 1955 and encompassing about 570 square kilometers (about 141,000 acres).

The main tourist attractions at Tikal are, of course, the amazing ruins that still stand here today. Some of the buildings date back to the 4th century BC, but most believe that the height of Tikal’s power was in the 2nd to 8th century AD and that many of the structures date from that time.

There is evidence that there are thousands of structures at Tikal, but only a small portion of them have actually been excavated, many by a team of workers from the University of Pennsylvania, who worked there for 13 years to uncover about 10 square miles of area.

The grandest structures, by far, are the six Mesoamerican step pyramids that grace the site. Labeled by excavators as Pyramids I through VI, these buildings are an amazing site to behold. Some climb to over 200 feet tall and most were built between the 7th and 9th century AD. Temple IV is the tallest and visitors can climb to the top for a great view of the ruins.

In addition to the temples, Tikal was also home to royal palaces, residences, and a number of other structures and monuments. There’s also evidence of a jail and several ballcourts, where opponents often battled to the death.

The Guatemalan government continues excavation at the site and visitors are being treated to more fascinating Mayan ruins each time they return.