In "The house of the Itzaes" we can find twenty monumental edifices which denote the political, economic and religious power in the pre-columbian period, especially in A.D. 600 to 1200 Edzná was the regional capital and its inhabitants built an ingenious water system which included wide channels and deposits to collect and distribute the liquid.

They also built wide stone causeways which linked the main architectonic sites. Its architecture has traces of Petén style, as well as Chenes and Late Puuc style.

The main construction in this site is the five level edifice which was built over a huge platform giving a majestic view to the site.

Edzná is located 61km to the Southeast of Campeche City. You can access to the site by driving on the federal highway 180, turning on the detour to highway 261 which leads to the archaeological site. Another access to the archaeological zone is the highway which links Chiná Pocyamux village with Nohacal village, at kilometer 48 departing from Campeche City.

Itzá is the name of a chantal lineage which established in the site, and people from other villages refered to the rest of the inhabitants of the area as "Itzáes" . Edzná/itzná was named after them. The earliest occupation evidence in the settlement goes back to B.C 400 when a group of people settled on a horse-shoe shaped valley, being a well organized agricultural society which built monumental edifices, as well as an hydraulical system to irrigate their fields and for the mainteinance of the buildings. At the begining of our Era, Edzná’s people established a central government basing its power on the supposed relationship between the governors and their deities, becoming by these means the Western regional capital of the peninsula in A.D. 400-1000 Afterward the population declined to its total desertion in 1450.

The Main Plaza is located at the center of Edzná, its a broad square and on the orient side many monumental constructions were built; on the North and South sides there are two sacbés or causeways used for internal flow.

The Knives Platform once had vaulted rooms on its ends and its center was reused to erect less fancy rooms with perishable material roofs. On the West side of the Ambassador’s Patio there are two buildings, each one with four columns corresponding to A.D. 1000 –1200

The Nohochná (Big house) was possibly used for management purposes, although it could also have been used as some kind of superaltar to watch events celebrated on the Main Plaza. This structure has four long galeries in its upper part and the access to them were openings on the roof formed by thick pilasters.

The South Temple has 5 structures with high mouldings and put back corners which converge on its rear, in a wide slope and above it the temple which dates between 600 and 900 A.D.

The Ball Game is arranged in two parallel structures and above them some rooms were built possibly to place inside images of their deities related to the event and the additions of the game itself and the players’.

The Masks Temple has two images of the Sun God, the sunrise and the sunset made out with stucco; both masks have the anthropomorphic characteristics with aesthetic atributions of the elite, such as strabism, dental mutilation, nose rings, ear-muffs and zoomorphic coiffures.

The Small Acropoli is a square base dates of B.C. 200 and on its zenith four buildings forming a central patio. Some of the eldest elements in Edzná come from this place: a big stucco mask of the Superior Pre-Classic period, three stellas of the eighth baktún (between 41 and 435 A.D) and ceramics from B.C. 400 and 250.

The Great Acropoli is a broad square base with several monumental structures, such as the Five Level Edifice, it has a crest and vaulted rooms and a broad stairway on the West side, and over its steps there are mayan mythological figures dated from 652 A.D.

The North Temple was a long base of a broad stairway and its main axix leaded to one or two enlonged open passages, which were covered un later to add them put back pannels, some of them decorated with little drums and broad slopes. The sanctuary crowned it and had been modified at least four times. Just in front of this temple, a "C" shaped platform correspondent to the latest occupation of Edzná, between A.D 1200 and 140.

The Puuc Patio is bordered by several constructions covered with square, rectangular and cilinder shaped ashlars very well tilled. The north Edifice has ashlars decorated with triangles and circles low carved forming big frames. From the construction of curved slopes, a cute sculpture of a square frame with images of Chaac and mayan mythological figures, where celestial bands can be seen on Imix day and Yax month. Justa at the entrance of the Main Patio, there is the Temazcal (a náhuatl word and its translation in Mayan language is chokó sintumbilhá ), a vapor bathroom, is set and it had a restringed access due to its religious importance.

The Old Wizard is located at 800 Northewest of the Five Level Edifice. On its East side there is a stairway, the base has rounded and put back corners , and above it there is a small sanctuary.

Schedule Monday to Sunday from 8:00 am to 17:00 pm

Visiting time required: 4 hours

Trip time required departing from Campeche City: 1 hour

Transportation: Bus or car

Recomendation: When visiting Edzná you might programme a visit to Pocyaxum village and Uayamón estate

Services: publication sells, custodians, restrooms and parking lot

SOFT DRINKS: In the site’s services unit and Nayaxché village

RESTAURANTS: Nayaxché village (comedor de la mujer campesina)

LODGING: Campeche City

TELEPHONE: Nayaxché village

MEDICAL SERVICES: Bonfil community

In Spring and Summer time, wear light clothes because the temperature is over 30 C During June, July and August, use mosquito repellent.

Benavides Castillo, Antonio. "La casa de los Itzáes, Edzná, Campeche" Arqueología Mexicana 18(1996):26-31.

Edzná Campeche Miniguía. México: CNCA/INAH, 1997.

Edzná Campeche. Historia General. Miniguía. México:CNCA/INAH, 1997.