Labná
Although this is a small city, it houses three jewels: its beautiful Arch of richly carved stone; the Palace, whose facade has numerous masks of the god Chaac, and the Mirador (lookout point). It was declared a World Heritage Site together with Uxmal, Sayil and Xlapak, under the title of the Pre-Hispanic Town of Uxmal.
Labná was a medium-sized sister city of Oxkintok and Nohpat, probably owing its allegiance to a regional capital of the Puuc region, possibly to Uxmal, Sayil or Kabah. Nevertheless the city had extraordinarily elaborate architecture which is largely still preserved. The site was populated from 200 BC, reaching its apogee between 800 and 1000 AD. Labná undoubtedly had a complex social structure and its style and decorative elements are similar to other cities of the region. In 1842 the US explorer John Lloyd Stephens and the English architect and photographer Frederick Catherwood visited the area, the latter taking some valuable images of the monuments of the ancient city.
At Labná, the profusely decorated ten foot wide by twenty foot high arch is exceptional, as are the monuments known as El Palacio ("The Palace") (two floors, with masks of the god known as "Narigudo"), and El Mirador ("The Lookout"), which is a temple on top of a pyramid. The city extended to 1.4 square miles and was home to a population of 3,000. It is listed as a World Heritage Site, under the collective title of the “Pre-Hispanic Town of Uxmal.”
- Dirección del Centro INAHVictor Arturo Martínez Rojasvictor_amartinez@inah.gob.mx+52 (999) 913 4034Administración del Centro INAHFelipe de Jesús Flores Lagunafelipe_flores@inah.gob.mx+52 (999) 913 4034, ext.398006
El Mirador
Here we can see the beginnings of the Puuc style, marked by smooth facades and, in this case, by its high cresting with modeled stucco decoration. It is a pyramidal building whose shape cannot be determined exactly because of the degree of destruction in which it is found.
Here we can see the beginnings of the Puuc style, marked by smooth facades and, in this case, by its high cresting with modeled stucco decoration. It is a pyramidal building whose shape cannot be determined exactly because of the degree of destruction in which it is found. However, there are remains of the stairway leading to the plateau that is formed at a height of 14 meters. On this plateau, on a platform of vertical walls and with steps to reach it, stands the temple of which only half is preserved. The plan is rectangular and consists of four rooms, also rectangular: two in the center, united by their greater side, parallel to the facade, and two that occupy the headers. On the south wall there is a crestería of more than 4 m of height, whose placement is due to the desire to obtain better visibility, characteristic of some buildings of Yucatan previous to the Toltec influence. The decoration of the façade is simple.
Arco
It is one of the most monumental-looking constructions in this area because of its new solution, the imposing proportions and the strength of its reliefs.
It is one of the most monumental-looking constructions in this area because of its new solution, the imposing proportions and the strength of its reliefs. It presents a more advanced stage of the Puuc style, called mosaic, in which you can see how the stone gives shape to the masks of the god “Narigudo” -a common figure in all the Puuc sites-, straw houses, anthropomorphic sculptures and staggered fretwork.
El Palacio
On the highest point of the valley is located El Palacio, a group of at least seven buildings that are distributed on two levels and went through different stages of construction. The earliest stages are located on the highest part of the hill and do not belong to Puuc architecture.
On the highest point of the valley is located El Palacio, a group of at least seven buildings that are distributed on two levels and went through different stages of construction. The earliest stages are located on the highest part of the hill and do not belong to Puuc architecture. Later, in this same sector, a patio was built, already with Puuc architecture, which must have housed the first ruling lineages of the site.
In the following period, the Mayas attached to the hill an enormous platform of about 150 m long and 70 m wide, on which they built 40 enclosures, most of them attached to the hill. During the Terminal Classic period, El Palacio was the seat of political and religious power. However, the construction of the Palace was never completed, since in the eastern sector a series of unfinished rooms can be seen.
Edificio de las Columnas
In front of the pyramid there is a square patio, limited by constructions of which only piles of stone remain, with a small mound in the center; the constructions on the western side form, in turn, part of another quadrangular patio.
In front of the pyramid there is a square patio, limited by constructions of which only piles of stone remain, with a small mound in the center; the constructions on the western side form, in turn, part of another quadrangular patio. The communication between these two quadrangles is made by means of a great arch that is conserved in good condition and that constitutes one of the most remarkable examples of the monumental Mayan architecture.
A royal residence in continual construction



