Uxmal is the most elegant of the Maya cities, and the quality of its stonework is the first thing visitors notice. Built mainly between the seventh and tenth centuries, it belongs to the Puuc region of Yucatán, named for the low range of hills that rise here, and its buildings show a style distinct from the temples of the jungle: smooth, flat lower walls topped by intricate friezes of stone mosaic, with lattice and serpent patterns and hundreds of masks of Chaac, the rain god, with his curling nose.
The Pyramid of the Magician rises about thirty-five metres with rounded corners, an oval base and steep stairs, and legend says a dwarf with magical powers built it in a single night. The Nunnery Quadrangle, a courtyard ringed by long buildings with rich decoration, is a name given by Spaniards who thought it resembled a convent. The House of the Governor, on a great platform, is regarded as the masterpiece of Puuc architecture, with a frieze almost a hundred metres long, and from its terrace you see the whole site rising from the forest.
Water explains much of the city's history. The Puuc has no rivers and few cenotes, so the inhabitants collected rainwater in underground cisterns called chultunes and in plastered reservoirs, which made them dependent on Chaac's favours. When droughts struck in the ninth and tenth centuries, scholars believe, the city weakened and was gradually abandoned. UNESCO listed the site in 1996.
Santa Elena is the nearest village, and Muna the nearest larger town. The site charges entry, opens in the morning and closes in the late afternoon, and has a sound-and-light show in the evening. Arrive at opening for cooler air and softer light, because by midday the stone reflects heat. Bring water, a hat and sunscreen. Fuel is available in Muna and at the highway stations, and there are hotels with pools nearby, which, after the heat, are a blessing.