Tikal in present-day Guatemala was one of the most powerful ancient Maya kingdoms. Starting from AD 378 rulers of Tikal were foreign non-Maya, closely related to Teotihuacan. Tikal not only dominated the Peten region, but its influence extended as far as Copán in today’s Honduras. Tikal also had women on the throne. From AD 511 to 527, queen known as the Lady of Tikal was a key figure here, but she has never ruled on her own being always partnered with male co-rulers. Since the end of the 6th century, Tikal has been involved in a series of wars with Calakmul and several other city-states such as Yaxchilan.
Tikal is well restored today. Its architecture includes steep pyramids, large royal palaces, smaller residences, administrative buildings, platforms, and inscribed stone monuments called stelae. The core of the city is the Great Plaza with famous Temple of the Great Jaguar (Temple I) bordered by the palace complex and the huge funerary pyramid complex for the dynasty that used to rule here. Temple of the Great Jaguar has nine terraces that symbolize nine levels of the world in the Maya believes. Erected in AD 741, temple IV in another part of the city, is the tallest and most voluminous buildings in the Maya world. It measures 47 meters/ 154 feet in height.
