El Tajín - Building of the Columns

(Local Name: Edificio de las Columnas) The Complejo de las Columnas, the highest section of the site, is dominated by the extraordinary Building of the Columns (Edificio de las Columnas or Palacio del Gobierno) standing on a mound 45 m (147 ft) in height and in part artificially raised. Glyphs discovered here recount the history of a ruler known as "13 rabbits", who probably lived in the 10th c. Once again niches are a major feature of the building, in this case decorated with meandering motifs. The cornices are so constructed as to appear to defy the laws of gravity. Equally astonishing is the fact that the solidly built stairway was apparently added purely for decoration, access to the upper chambers being by