Why were the Mayan ruins built?
Mayan ruins can be found throughout southern Mesoamerica in the present day countries of Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador, Belize and Mexico. These archeological sites were built to serve various different functions but nearly all were built in honor of the gods.SettlementsMany Mayan archeological sites first developed as urban settlements. Cities such as Tikal in Guatemala were carefully planned and feature various other important structures within their boundaries.PalacesMayan rulers and elite members of society had palaces built for themselves and their families. Two spectacular palace ruins can be found in Kabah and Uxmal in Mexico.Religious BuildingsReligion influenced the construction of many Mayan sites. The archeological remains of ceremonial platforms, pyramids and temples can be found throughout Mesoamerica. Chichen Itza in Mexico is perhaps the most famous Mayan religious site.AstronomyThe Mayans built observation towers and observatories in order to make detailed astronomic
