Mexico
Tulum
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Welcome to Tulum, Mexico! Ancient Maya builders perched this walled stone city on a cliff above the sparkling turquoise Caribbean Sea — the only Maya city ever built directly on the coast.
Why is it famous?
Tulum sits on top of a rocky cliff about 40 feet (12 meters) above the Caribbean Sea, with a bright white sand beach right below it.
It's the only major Maya city built right on the ocean, which made it an important trading port for canoes carrying goods along the coast.
How was it built?
Maya builders used blocks of local limestone to construct temples, a palace, and a thick wall that surrounds the whole city on three sides — the sea protected the fourth.
Tulum reached its peak between the 13th and 15th centuries, making it one of the last great Maya cities still thriving when Spanish explorers arrived.
Amazing facts
The name 'Tulum' means 'wall' or 'fence' in the Maya language, named for the stone wall that surrounds the city.
One round temple has a special hole at the top that whistles loudly in strong wind — Maya priests may have used it as an early hurricane warning system.
Quick facts
- The name 'Tulum' means 'wall' or 'fence' in the Maya language, named for the stone wall that surrounds the city.
- One round temple has a special hole at the top that whistles loudly in strong wind — Maya priests may have used it as an early hurricane warning system.
- The main temple, El Castillo, also worked as a lighthouse, with fires lit at night to help guide canoes safely through gaps in the coral reef.
- Tulum was still an active, thriving city when Spanish sailors first spotted it from their ships in 1518.