The extensive pre-Hispanic city known as Calakmul, a Mayan name that means "Two Adjacent Hills" (ca-two, lak-adjacent, mul-hill), was discovered and named by North American explorer Cyrus Lundell at the end of 1931. Since then, diverse excavations and research have been carried out with the purpose of knowing the extension, origins and history of this Mayan establishment.

Today we know that between the years 250 to 750 of our era, Calakmul was the center of the so-called "Kingdom of the Serpent’s Head" which comprised of diverse sites throughout the Mayan low-lands, like Peru, Dos Pilas and Naranjo among others, as well as Caracol which, in the 500’s came to be the main ally of Calakmul in the constant confrontations with its rival: The great Tikal.

The Calakmul archaeological site is located in the southeast of the state of Campeche, approximately 30 km (17 mi.) from the Guatemalan border.

The site is open every day from 8:00 to 5:00. Admission fee: $70.00 pesos. Entrance is free on Sundays for nationals with I.D.

r09