The Maya chronicles tell contradictory stories about the origin and development of Mayapán. It seems probable that the Itzá (who are now believed to have been a "Toltecised" Chontal-Maya people from Tabasco) came to Yucatán about 1200, resettled the abandoned site of Chichén Itzá and finally founded Mayapán ("Banner of the Maya"). Thereafter for almost 200 years Mayapán, under the Cocom dynasty, was the predominant power in Yucatán. Its end came around 1450 when the town was destroyed during a rising by the Xiú tribe, who had previously been settled at Uxmal.
This led to the final collapse of the Maya civilisation, when the empire broke up into some 20 unimportant petty states.
In its heyday the town covered an area of about 6.5sq.km/2.5sq.mi, with some 3500 buildings, and was surrounded by a strong town wall. Its architecture was never on a par with that of Chichen Itzá and has only partially been excavated and restored.
On the right side lies first the "House of the Elders", followed by the Tzompantli (Maya for "Wall of Skulls"). The columned palace somewhat to the left still possesses a large stone-mask and two figures. The dominant building, however, is the Castillo (Pyramid of Kukulkán), with a fine view over the beech forest which surrounds the site. To the east of the Castillo a path leads left to a low structure, impressively decorated with masks of the rain-god Chac in the purest Puuc style, a style which flourished at least 300 years earlier.
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