Guatemala is home to the ancient Mayan ruins of Tikal. The archaeological site lies in the Petén region of northern Guatemala, deep within a tropical rainforest near the modern town of Flores.
Tikal was one of the most powerful city-states of the ancient Maya civilization. Monumental construction began by at least the 4th century BC, and the city reached its height during the Classic Period, roughly from AD 200 to 900. Its surviving architecture includes enormous temples, royal palaces, plazas, reservoirs, and monuments covered with Maya inscriptions.
Tikal is sometimes confused with Maya sites in Mexico, Belize, or Honduras, but its location is distinctly Guatemalan. The site became part of Tikal National Park, which UNESCO designated a World Heritage Site in 1979. It is a mixed cultural and natural site because its archaeological remains are protected together with the surrounding rainforest ecosystem.