The part of the wall that ran the width of the site was slightly shorter and only about 170 meters (560 ft) on both sides.
The Tulum ruins are the third most visited archaeological site in Mexico after Teotihuacan and Chichen Itza. Speaking of walls, did you know Tulum is one of the very walled cities …
That’s why it’s a good idea to take something cold to drink, a hat and a bathing suit.As well as being the only Mayan city built on a coast, Tulum was one of the few protected by a wall.Just north of the Castillo is a pathway that leads down to a sandy beach and the multi-hued Caribbean. Archaeologists have dated the Tulum Ruins as far back as 54AD, although it’s believed the site was most powerful from 1200-1521AD.
On the land-side, the Mayans built a huge and formidable wall which ran the length of 170 meters, effectively shielding the island from any land-side attacks. The wall ranges from three to five meters in height and is 8 meters thick. Visiting Tulum is a perfect day trip for those who tire of idly lounging around the pool. These ruins are beautiful to see with the cliff views over the Caribbean and ancient history. Constructing this massive wall would have taken an enormous amount of energy and time, which shows how important defense was to the Maya when they chose this site. The Tulum ruins are the third most-visited archaeological site in Mexico, after Teotihuacan and Chichen Itza. Tulum, on the east coast of the Yucatan peninsula in southern Mexico, was an important Mesoamerican centre which displayed both Maya and Toltec influence. This 75-foot high pyramid was the watchtower, lighthouse, and served as the first line of defense against water invasion. Although with never more than an estimated 1,600 inhabitants, the site remained occupied until shortly before the end of the 16th century.. That’s when disease brought by the Spanish eliminated the majority of the population.. Over a period of 7 centuries, rulers came and went. During this time, when cities like Mayapan rose to prominence, small cities like Tulum also came into being. Near the northern side of the wall a small cenote provided the city with fresh water. The wall also was about 8 m (26 ft) thick and 400 m (1,300 ft) long on the side parallel to the sea. This “diving god” is also depicted in the Temple of the Diving God in the central precinct of the site. With a little imagination and knowledge, the ruins become a giant puzzle waiting to be pieced together. When we first entered the Tulum Ruins in the early 90’s an original entrance through the Tulum wall was the only way to enter and exit the site. It is popular for the picturesque view of the Caribbean and a location just 128 km (80 mi) south of the popular beach resort of Cancún.Stephens and Catherwood also reported an early classic stele at the site, with an inscribed date of AD 564 (now in the British Museum’s collection). Stephens wrote two books, Incidents of Travel in Central America, Chiapas and Yucatan (1841) and Incidents of Travel in Yucat n (1843), which launched the archeological search for the Maya past. 1) Tulum means “walled city.” (Its original name was “Zama,” which means sunrise.) The wall is a key feature which distinguishes Tulum’s construction from most other cities of the Mayan civilisation. Tulum was built to be a seaport fortress, with steep ocean cliffs providing protection from the East, and a large limestone wall enclosing the rest of the city on three sides. The legendary Tulum ruins are among the most visited sites in all of Mexico.A day trip to this mythical place reveals why. The room usually contains one or two small windows with an altar at the back wall, roofed by either a beam-and-rubble ceiling or being vaulted. Jade and obsidian appear to be some of the more valuable found here. On the seaside, the Tulum city sits above steep cliffs which saved the city from any attack from the seaside.Tulum was one of the last cities that was built by the Mayans.