discovering the tallest building in Belize
The thing that struck me the most when we were exploring Belize was how quickly the jungle seemed to claim back areas that had been cleared by people. The roads we drove along when we were heading for Caracol we were told were only 10 years old, yet they were shrinking at a rapid pace because of bush growth on either side. It then made it more understandable that after these incredible Mayan sites were abandoned that the jungle completely swamped them and they became lost cities.
The journey itself to Caracol was an epic adventure crossing jungle rivers and potential covered Mayan sites that had not yet been excavated. Every substantial mound or small hill had the potential to be some incredible piece of history. There simply was not enough money or people to uncover the sheer number of ancient Mayan buildings in the area. After all Caracol is thought to have covered an area of around 200 square kilometers, larger than present day Belize-City. Belize-City is the largest metropolitan area in Belize, and to this day Caracol still has the tallest building in Belize. Caana stands at 43 meters and it’s incredible to know that such an old structure still holds the height record, something that must be very unique in the world.
There is only one road into Caracol and the site itself was only discovered by a native logger in the 1930’s. Sitting in the foothills of the Mayan Mountains, Caracol is thought to have been a very influential city and grew into one of the largest Mayan Cities.
After arriving at the site and exploring you are greeted by the massive temples that stand proudly in what is now a cleared opening in the jungle. Climbing the steps to the top requires some effort in the heat. When you reach the top the views out across the jungle are incredible and you get a sense of how large the area is and how easily these Mayan cities would have become lost amongst the thick growth of the jungle.
I was surprised at how few people there were to explore the complex, compared to other famous Mayan sites which attract hundreds to thousands of visitors a day. It was peaceful and being able to enjoy Caracol in relative peace made it a special experience.
