Cultural Triangle Yaxha-Nakum-Naranjo National Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cultural Triangle Yaxha-Nakum-Naranjo National Park |
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| Triángulo Cultural | |
Temple 216 in Yaxha
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 Cultural Triangle Yaxha-Nakum-Naranjo National Park
Location in Guatemala
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| Location | Petén, Guatemala |
| Area | 371.6 km2 (91,800 acres) |
| Established | 2003 |
| Visitors | 202 (in 1940) |
| Governing body | private |
| Official name: Parque Nacional Yaxhá-Nakum-Naranjo | |
| Designated: | 2 February 2006 |
| Reference #: | 1599 |
The Cultural Triangle Yaxha-Nakum-Naranjo National Park (also called Triángulo Cultural in Spanish) is a very special place in Petén, Guatemala. It's a huge project where many different experts work together. These include archaeologists (who study ancient cultures), architects (who design buildings), restorers (who fix old structures), and biologists (who study living things).
This park isn't just one old city. It covers a massive area of about 1,200 square kilometers (463 square miles)! This region includes three giant ancient cities and 14 smaller sites. It was once the most populated area of the amazing Maya people during their Classic period.
Contents
History of the Cultural Triangle
The project started in 1994. It began with over 300 workers from Guatemala and 12 scientists. Their first work was at a place called Topoxte. This site is on an island in the lake of Yaxha. Here, you can see the only ancient buildings from the Postclassic Maya period in all of Petén.
One of the temples, called Temple C, was almost falling apart. So, the team spent the first two years restoring it. Today, the island is a popular spot for visitors in Petén. Local groups from the project even take many tourists to the island by boat.
Exploring Yaxha
Yaxha is a large Maya city built right on the shore of a lake with the same name. It's the biggest ancient site in this area. Between 1994 and 2008, many important buildings were restored here.
Now, you can clearly see how the city was organized. It had enormous sacred roads, called sacbes, connecting different parts. You can explore many restored temples, palaces, ball-courts, and observatories. From the top of Temple 216, you can enjoy an amazing view. You can see the whole ancient city, the thick rainforest, and the beautiful lake.
Discovering Nakum
In 1997, the work expanded to the site of Nakum. This site is about 18 kilometers (11 miles) north of Yaxha. It's like a Maya oasis hidden deep inside the dense rainforest.
Nakum has the second-highest number of restored buildings after Tikal, another famous Maya city. The buildings at Nakum show a strong influence from Tikal. For example, the pyramids are very steep and have temples and tall roofcombs on top.
Future Work at Naranjo
The archaeological work and restoration at Topoxte, Yaxha, and Nakum are mostly finished. So, in January 2009, most of the workers moved to the site of Naranjo.
This site will be the main focus for future studies. Experts hope to find new information about the Maya people's cultural heritage. They also plan to prepare Naranjo to welcome more tourists.
See also
In Spanish: Parque nacional Yaxhá-Nakum-Naranjo para niños
