Guatemala Guide
Around Guatemala City
Mixco Viejo
Address: Northwest of Guatemala City, about thirty minutes beyond the village of San Juan
Opening time: Daily 8am–5pm
Price: US$7
MIXCO VIEJO was the capital of the Poqomam Maya, one of the main pre-conquest tribes. The original Poqomam language has all but died out – it's now spoken only in a few isolated areas and in the villages of Mixco and Chinautla – and the bulk of their original territory is swamped by Kaqchikel speakers. The site itself is thought to date from the thirteenth century, and its construction, designed to withstand siege, bears all the hallmarks of the troubled times before the arrival of the Spanish. Protected on all sides by deep ravines, it can be entered only along a single-file causeway. At the time the Spanish arrived, in 1525, this was one of the largest highland centres, with nine temples, two ball courts, and a population of around nine thousand.
Today the site has been impressively restored, with its plazas and temples laid out across several flat-topped ridges. Like all the highland sites the structures are fairly low – the largest temple reaches only about 10m in height – and are devoid of decoration. It is, however, an interesting site in a spectacular setting, and during the week you'll probably have the ruins to yourself, which gives the place all the more atmosphere. Buses (4 daily) to Pachalum from 41 Calle and 8 Avenida, Zona 7, in Guatemala City pass Mixco Viejo. There are cold drinks for sale at the site, and some attractive shelters where you can camp overlooking the ruins.