Maya Architecture

Maya architecture is the building tradition of the Maya civilization of Mesoamerica, spanning several thousand years and best known for the step pyramids built from the Preclassic period onward at cities such as Tikal, Chichen Itza and Palenque. Unlike the smooth sided pyramids of Egypt, Maya pyramids rise in distinct stepped tiers and typically have flatter tops rather than sharp peaks, a form suited to the temples and ceremonial platforms built at their summits. These pyramid temples were commonly aligned with the solstices and equinoxes, reflecting Maya astronomical knowledge, and their flat tops accommodated public rituals including sacrificial ceremonies. Other defining features of Maya architecture include multi-level elevated platforms, corbelled roof vaulting, in which each course of stone projects slightly beyond the one below until the gap can be capped rather than spanned with a true arch, and monumental stairways leading up the pyramid faces.