X'Cambó

Schedules

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Schedule: 8:00am - 5:00pm
Cost: FREE ENTRANCE

Nota: Los domingos el acceso a las zonas arqueológicas es gratuito para visitantes nacionales, previa indentificación. De lunes a sábado se aplican descuentos para estudiantes y maestros con credencial vigente, personas de la tercera edad con credencial del INAPAM (antes INSEN) tienen acceso gratuito.

Information

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Still considered to be a place of pilgrimage and cult to the Virgin of X’Cambó, who according to tradition appeared in the site more than 50 years ago. She is worshiped in a chapel constructed over the pre-hispanic buildings. Besides its historical importance, the place is still located within a natural and ecological environment. In May of every year the virgin Mary is celebrated. The celebration in her honor is very traditional and colorful.

You can visit Monday to Sunday from 8:00 to 17:00 hours; it is located 6 km from Telchac Puerto and 2 km from the coast, almost on the Progreso-Telchac highway.

History

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X'Cambó (“Heavenly Crocodile” or “Place where exchanges were done”), was strongly influenced by the Mayan cities of Izamal and Tho' (today Merida). Place of major salt deposits belong to the period “Lower Preclassic” (100 b.c. - 250 a.c.), Early acquiring importance to the Classic (250-600 a.c.); nowadays, it still continues to produce this mineral.

This place has passed through several stages in its architecture, nevertheless the most remarkable details come from the Early Classic period Early and one is within the style Petén and Megalitic or Izamaleño, featured by pyramids of staggered bodies, the builders carved cleared corners, facades with enormous large masks modeled in stucco and painted with natural tints, as well, they used great stone blocks in walls and glyphs among others surfaces.

X’cambó was very important for the commercial growth and especially for the salt market development in the pre-Hispanic time. Considered a place of pilgrimage and cult to the Virgin, still today the people venerate her in the chapel constructed just in place of the main Mayan temple. In the site, people will be able to admire the Temple de la Cruz, a great church staggered with a cross in the superior part and also it is possible to visit the Temple of the Sacrifices. The natural environment, its mangles and the palms give to xcambo a relaxed tropical sensation. The great amount of burials with rich offerings of foreign ceramics (polychrome of Guatemala, feminine figurines of Jaina and Veracruz), makes of Xcambo a perfect sanctuary to visit.

Location

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It is located 6 km from Telchac Puerto and 2 km from the coast, almost on the Progreso-Telchac highway.
You can visit Monday to Sunday from 8:00 to 17:00 hours

Gallery

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