Koba pyramid. Travel notes. Sak-bae roads in Kobe

Crimea has long been famous for its unusual places forces that people from all over Russia and even the world want to touch. And for a simple vacationer who does not strive for subtle matters, coming to Crimea and not visiting at least one of these places means not seeing and not experiencing Crimea at all. After all, they contain all the energy of the great Crimea, its goodness and purity.

The Kizil Koba tract, or in translation from Tatar – Red Caves, is located near the village of Perevalnoye, which is approximately in the middle of the section of the Simferopol-Alushta trolleybus route. The air itself here is filled with life-giving energy. And if you want to visit places of power in Crimea, then, of course, you need to start with this extraordinary valley.

What are places of power? Is there any definition for this mysterious term? Of course there is. It was given by the Mexican Indian Juan Matus. It was his experience that was described by the famous experimenter in the field of subtle matters, Carlos Castaneda. This term refers to special places whose energy differs from the general background. Typically, such places occur where geophysical anomalies, underground cracks, water flows and whirlpools exist.

Places of power can influence a person both positively and negatively. And it’s worth remembering this and listening to your feelings. But in the Red Caves tract you have absolutely nothing to worry about. Nature here is fragrant, the wind carries the smell of wild honey and fresh strawberries from the mountains, even in the middle of July. But finding it is not so easy if you don’t know the path to a small patch of greenery among the sun-scorched grass on Dolgorukovskaya Yaila.

And just on the way to the yayla, if you start climbing it along the mountain between the Kizil-Kobinka river and the Su-Uchkhan waterfall - on the one hand, and the Aleshina Voda waterfall - on the other, then on this mountain you will be able to see these amazing ornate, laid out made of stone, labyrinths and patterns. They themselves, of course, are man-made and did not exist before, but the power of the Crimean land, palpably present in this place, has always been here. And from there, your climb to the yayla will seem like a mere trifle, because this power will enter you and permeate every cell of your body, tired under the scorching sun. But your sensations will reach their apogee if you plunge into one of the ice baths of Kizil-Kobinka or stand for at least a few seconds under Su-Uchkhan itself.

But still, we should not forget that the effects of visiting any places of power are a temporary phenomenon. And when you return home, you will again feel the hardships of urban existence on your shoulders. But fortunately, this statement is not true for everyone. There are people who have devoted themselves to spiritual practices that lead along the path to spiritual and physical perfection. And they often gather in the Kizil-Koba tract, meditating and doing exercises.

One such direction is the cultivation system of Falun Dafa or Falun Gong, based on the principles of the universe of Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance. Representatives of this practice improve themselves in accordance with these principles, improve their morality, and strengthen their spirit and body. Every year, from early spring to late autumn, they live near Su-Uchkhan, replacing each other in a tent camp, where they perform qigong exercises in the morning in a clearing overlooking Chatyr-Dag.

So, once you arrive in Crimea, you can touch the places of power, learn something new for yourself and start life from scratch, with Truth, Kindness and Patience. And then your place of power will always be with you.

Coba is the legendary city of the Mayan civilization, or it would be even more correct to say that what remains of it are half-destroyed ruins. But even in this form, it attracts a huge number of travelers who want to touch ancient relics and artifacts.

The ruins of Coba cannot be compared with the grandeur and perfection of the archaeological complex of Chichen Itza. But the grandeur of the Chichen Itza monuments is unlikely to be erased by the memories of visiting Coba: jungle trails, desert monuments, the opportunity to climb the pyramids and watch the surrounding jungle alone. The absence of a large influx of tourists is the main advantage of this place. Koba still has an aura ancient city Maya, lost by Chichen Itza.

It is unlikely that the ruins of Cob will amaze with the sophistication of its architecture. There are no grandiose pyramids here that amaze tourists in Chichen Itza or Uxmal. Despite all this, Koba is worth a visit. This is one of the oldest and largest cities in Yucatan, which played an important role in the formation of the Mayan civilization. In its current form, it creates a unique feeling of antiquity. The vast majority of the monuments have not been restored, which is why they look like real ruins. Groups of monuments are located in the middle of the jungle, connected by roads and paths. Tourists have to walk or pedal a lot along these paths, visiting one pyramid after another.

Koba consists of several groups of monuments, interconnected by labyrinths of paths and ancient roads called "sakbe". In total there are more than 40 sakbe. The length of the longest of them is 100 km - the longest long road in the Mayan world.

The construction of an extensive network of sakbe still remains a mystery and causes confusion. After all, the Mayan civilization did not have wheels vehicles, the Indians had never even seen horses. Apparently they were built for religious purposes.

At the height of their empire's power from the 3rd to the 10th centuries, the Mayans ruled a vast area from central Mexico to Honduras and El Salvador. The Spanish conquerors killed priests and burned books, thus destroying most of the information about the history and culture of the Mayans. Only the ruins, surrounded by legends, remain. Many of Cob's secrets remain to be explored, still hidden under the thick cover of the jungle. Only a small part of them has been cleared of forest and restored by archaeologists. Wandering around these ruins, it is hard to believe that over 50,000 people lived in this jungle-covered area more than 1,300 years ago.

The Coba monuments are divided into three main groups: Grupo Coba, Grupo Nohuch Mul and Grupo las Pinturas.

Walking 100 meters along the main road from the entrance and turning right, you reach La Iglesia (Church), the most famous pyramid Grupo Koba, and the second highest in the complex. Unfortunately, climbing this huge 20-meter-high pyramid is currently prohibited.

Grupo Nooch Mul

Nohoch Mul is a 15-minute walk from Grupo Coba. Nooch Mul means "Big Mound". Also known as the "Great Pyramid", sounds a lot better than "Great Mound". At 42 m high, Nooch Mul is the second tallest Mayan pyramid in the Yucatan Peninsula, above "El Castillo" in Chichen Itza and the "Pyramid of the Magician" in Uxmal.

Climbing to the top Great Pyramid- the most popular activity of tourists. There are 120 narrow and steep steps leading up. Considering the height of the pyramid (42 m), as well as the absence of any fences or railings at the top and on the sides, the climb is a little scary, but from the top you can see stunning views of a continuous sea of ​​green jungle and protruding Mayan monuments.

Grupo las Pinturas

The main attraction of this group is the Conjunto Las Pintura pyramid. Translated from Spanish, the word "pintura" means "paint", "to paint". Once upon a time, the monument was completely covered with colored frescoes. The thatched roof on top protects the remains of the original red paint.

Coba is an ancient Mayan city lost in the jungle. One of the largest Mayan metropolises - much of the city has not yet been excavated.

For us, it was the beginning of our journey and the first Mayan pyramids that we saw.

Yesterday we spent the whole day traveling from Israel to the city of Tulum on the Caribbean coast of Mexico.
Departure is at 1 am. Then transit in Paris is 7 hours. Quite a long time, but at the same time not enough to go to Paris, and the weather was not favorable - cold, rain. After an overnight flight, we found these comfortable beds, where we slept for another 2-3 hours.
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And then we went duty free to try cognacs and whiskey. Time passed unnoticed.)
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We arrived in Cancun at 6 pm that same day. We bought tickets to Cancun at a very ridiculous price - $700, it was impossible not to go.) Why are flights to the west convenient - the day stretches out. We took a car and immediately went south - to Tulum. Beach holiday the Cancun resorts had little appeal for us. Therefore, we chose Tulum as our location for these 2 days - in the vicinity of this city there are many historical and natural attractions, and there are much fewer tourists than in Cancun.

Due to the time difference, everyone woke up quite early. However, we will wake up early throughout our journey. Close to the equator, the daylight hours are short (from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.), and you want to do a lot, so we tried to make the most of the daylight hours. But we also usually went to bed early.

We leave at 7.30.
The Mayan city of Coba is about 45 minutes away.
There are few people, except for us - a few tourists. We pay 60 pesos for parking and 65 pesos for entrance to the national park.
And we go deeper into the jungle. Everything around is shrouded in a foggy haze. It rained yesterday, and today, tomorrow too - they also promise rain for the whole day. But we hope that we will be lucky.

Birds and animals are making noise in the forest in the morning. Here - right next to the road, a company of nosos frolicking noisily on the branches of trees. But in the morning they had their own family concerns, so they didn’t come to us to beg for food.

The ancient city of Koba was discovered only at the end of the 19th century. First descriptions archaeological excavations done famous travelers John Lloyd Stevens and Frederick Catherwood. In 1881, Theobert Mahler took the first known photograph of Cob. Currently, only a small part of this once huge metropolis has been excavated. What’s nice is that only a few buildings in the city have been partially cleared, but otherwise the countryside surrounds us all the way. And you need to walk around this city quite a lot.

And here is the ball field.
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It is still not really clear why and why the ancient Mayans played ball. But the game was clearly of a ritual nature and was intended for the eyes of the gods and a small part of the priests and nobility. And at the end of the game, it is believed that someone was sacrificed. Moreover, more and more versions say that the captain of the winning team was sacrificed to the gods. Logical - why do the gods need losers? And the captain is honored, the opportunity to communicate with the gods.
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Nohoch Mul - Great Pyramid. 42 meters high - the size of a 14-storey building. Nooch Mul is one of the tallest Mayan pyramids on the peninsula, taller than "El Castillo" in Chichen Itza and the "Pyramid of the Magician" in Uxmal.
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Nearby there is a warning sign: “descent from the pyramid is at your own risk.” But not a word about the rise. Like, if you climbed in, it’s your own fault, get down as best you can.
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There are 120 steps leading up. Crooked, worn out, dilapidated, slippery from dew and rain.
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Well, we climbed. Oh, it’s good to climb up, even though the steps are steep and high.
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From above there is a view of the green sea of ​​jungle underfoot, with another pyramid sticking out of the fog in the distance. High...
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At the very top of the pyramid is a closed temple and some kind of stone that seems to have once served as an altar.
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But now we need to go down. Yeah... But downwards it turns out to be much steeper.
My husband swore at me that if I didn’t get off, he wouldn’t let me go to any more pyramids. As a result, she got down.
Especially for the timid, a rope is thrown in the middle. She clung to him as she went down. Well, I’m trained not to go down on my ass, but correctly - facing the slope.)
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We set off to wander further through different buildings former complex Koba.
The Mayan city of Coba is located ninety kilometers east of Chichen Itza and about forty northwest of Tulum, has an area of ​​just over 70 square kilometers and a network of 45 roads (or sacbés) that previously connected the city with many Mayan cities and others. small communities.
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Between the ball field and the Nohuch Mul pyramid is a monument called Xaibe. The name of this semicircular pyramid means “Crossroads”, as it is located at the intersection of four Sakbe roads.
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Many Sacbe roads were built from Coba. The most important - 100 kilometers, reached Yaxunaacute, which is a short distance from Chechen Itza. These roads were white stucco, in some places they reach up to 20 meters wide and 6 meters high. We will then see such a road very well and walk along it to Yaxha (Guatemala). The 35 roads that have been documented in this area prove that Cobá maintained close contacts with such great cities of Guatemala and southern Campeche and Quintana Roo as Tikal, Dzibancheacute, Kohunlich, Muyil, Oxtankah, Tankah, XEL-Ha and Calakmul. There is no doubt that Koba had an excellent road network. Between 200 and 600 AD These roads determined the development of agricultural areas and the development of inter- and intra-regional trade routes, which may have allowed control of some important ports, such as Xel Ha.
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Koba existed for almost 2 thousand years - from 300-250 BC to 1517 AD. The city flourished during the classical period - then the city began to dominate the entire region. Between 200 and 800 AD, Coba was one of the largest metropolises of the Maya world until its rival, Chichen Itza, expanded its sphere of influence.
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And these are the trees that grow there. It is not clear whether this is a multi-trunked tree, or whether the hanging roots take root and become new trunks.
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Much of the city was built in the Petén style of monumental architecture, a style characteristic of the classical period and oriental style coastline dating back to the period after the classic Yucatan Peninsula.
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Its name translates as "mossy water" or "wet water", although some authors suggest that it means "muddy water", due to its proximity to a small lake with a rather muddy color.
Near Coba there are 2 lagoons, which are home to many birds, as well as crocodiles.

Do you see the crocodile? Neither do I. And he is...
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More than 6,500 structures have been discovered on the territory of the ancient city, but only a small part of them have been excavated to date.
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After the seventh century, the strengthening of the western Yucatan cities of Puuc, as well as the growing influence of Chichen Itza in the socio-political picture of the peninsula, signaled the beginning of the decline of Coba. In 900 or 1000, Coba tried to confront Chichen Itza to determine which city would serve the other, but after the loss of the Yaxuná enclave, he resigned himself to the new dominant power in the region.
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The pyramid that local residents considered a sanctuary and called "Iglesia" (church), almost 25 meters high, belongs to the Early Classical style.
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After 1000, Coba lost political relevance, although it seems to have retained its symbolic and religious significance, which allowed it to regain some position between 1200 and 1500, at which time several new buildings in the East Coast style were built in the city.
At the time of the Spanish conquest, Coba was already completely uninhabited.
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At 11, after walking around the ancient city for 3 hours, we leave Koba. We are heading to the next point of our plan - Cenote Casa.

To be continued...

Ancient city of Coba in Mexico

Koba- an ancient Mayan city on the Yucatan Peninsula, located in the modern state of Quintana Roo. The archaeological site of Coba is one of the most popular attractions for visitors and tourists. The ancient city is conveniently located 44 kilometers northwest of coastal city Maya.

The Mayan city of Cobá is best known for its location at the crossroads of the Sac-Bé road network connecting the Mayan kingdoms in the region. In the ruins of the city, most of which are still hidden under the canopy of dense jungle, many carved steles were discovered telling the history of the city and its rulers. The most famous monumental building in Koba is the Nohoch-Mul pyramid, 42 m high.

Pyramid of Nohoch-Mul- a popular tourist attraction. There are 120 steps leading to the top of the pyramid, along which you can climb to the ritual room with the altar. Unlike the Pyramid of Kukulkan in temple complex Chichen Itza, access to the Nohoch Mul pyramid in Kobe is open to tourists.

History of Koba

The ancient Mayan city of Coba was founded in 50 BC - 100 AD. All buildings of this time were made of wood, so archaeological finds include only the remains of clay utensils. After 100 AD The rapid development of the city begins, which will later become one of the most important political and religious centers of the Mayan civilization in the north of the Yucatan Peninsula. During the period 200 - 600 AD. Most of the Yucatan Peninsula was under Coba's influence. The ruling dynasty owned vast areas of arable land, controlled the road network on the peninsula and, most importantly for the Mayan cities, exercised control over fresh water supplies.

Coba maintained close contacts with other important cities of the Mayan civilization, such as in Guatemala and Calakmul in Mexico. A powerful culture had a great influence on the Koba civilization.

The emergence and founding of Puuc culture cities weakened Koba's influence in the region. For a century - from 900 to 1000 AD. The confrontation between Coba and Chichen Itza for the status of hegemon in the region continued. After 1000 Coba loses its political influence, however, it retains its position as an important Mayan religious center. Monumental construction continued until 1500. After that, nothing is known about the history of the city. The Spanish conquerors who came to Coba in 1550 found the city abandoned.

The main attractions of Koba

Sak-bae roads in Kobe

One of the main features of Koba is the extensive network of “sak-be” roads. Roads paved with white stone connected the living quarters with the religious center and sources of fresh water. It was thanks to the “sak-be”, well preserved to this day, that a map of the city was created, most of which is still hidden in the jungle.

During an excursion to the Mayan archaeological complex of Coba, tourists have a unique opportunity to travel along the roads of Coba in pedicabs. The most active tourists can explore the ancient Mayan city on bicycles.

Koba monuments are divided into three main groups: Koba group(Grupo Coba) Nohoch-Mul group(Grupo Nohuch Mul) and Las Pinturas group(Grupo las Pinturas).

Pyramid of Nohoch-Mul

The second tallest pyramid in the Yucatan Peninsula rises 42 m above the dense jungle. Climbing the Nohoch Mul pyramid is the most popular tourist activity in Cobe. From the top there is a stunning view of the jungle, hiding the buildings of the complex that have not yet been explored by archaeologists.

Excursion to Coba

Cob still retains an amazing atmosphere of antiquity, which makes it so attractive for travelers who dream of touching the mysteries of the Mayan civilization.

We visit the archaeological site of Koba during a group or individual excursion from Cancun or Riviera Maya.

The archaeological zone is located on the territory of the ancient city of Coba, lost in the jungle - the heart of the once prosperous and disappeared Mayan empire. Koba – oldest city The Mayan civilization in Mexico is a group of monuments connected by labyrinthine paths and ancient Mayan jungle roads called “sacbe”. In total there are more than 40 sakbes, and they were built for religious purposes. The length of the longest of them is 100 km - the longest road in the Mayan world. The construction of an extensive sakbe network still remains a mystery, because the Mayan civilization did not have wheeled vehicles or horses.

The city of Coba still has the aura of an ancient Mayan city, which it has completely lost. During the development of the Mayan civilization, Coba was one of largest cities on the Yucatan Peninsula. During its heyday, the city had up to 50,000 inhabitants. Numerous white roads "sak be", various ball courts, high pyramids of Koba - all this testifies to the great importance of the city.

The city of Coba played an important role in the formation of the Mayan civilization. In its current form, Coba creates a unique feeling of antiquity.

The city of Coba is impressive in size; in its heyday it covered an area of ​​approximately 50 square meters. km and was not only important political and shopping center east coast Yucatan Peninsula, but also a place of great religious significance.

The ancient city of Coba is located next to lakes, this is quite unusual, because due to the limestone structure of the earth, there are almost no lakes in Yucatan. All the water goes underground, forming bizarre cave and cenote systems. There are small crocodiles in the waters of the lake, and if you are lucky, you will be able to see them. For the same reason, swimming is prohibited, but you can relax and have lunch in one of the small restaurants overlooking the lake.

Getting around Kobe is possible by bicycles or two-seater rickshaws.

In the city of Coba you will definitely remember: labyrinths of jungle paths, desert monuments and the opportunity to climb the pyramids and watch the surrounding jungle alone. Lack of a large influx of tourists, large number amazing monuments ancient civilization and nature “unspoiled” by humans are the main advantages of the city of Koba.
Having a guide is a prerequisite for visiting Koba; it is better to book an individual excursion.

The Coba monuments are divided into three main groups: Grupo Coba, Grupo Nohuch Mul and Grupo las Pinturas.

Grupo Coba

Walking 100 meters along the main road from the entrance, you will reach the Templo de la Iglesia, the second largest pyramid in Cobe. The pyramid is closed for climbing.

Among other monuments of the group, the ball field attracts attention. There are stone rings on the walls, into which Mayan athletes threw the ball with their hips. Although the ball field in the city of Coba is much smaller than in the city, periodically the games ended in the same way: with human sacrifices. Most researchers believe that it was the team captain who was sacrificed to the gods – winner, for whom this was the highest award.

Between the ball field and the Nohuch Mul pyramid is a monument called Xaibe. The name of this semicircular pyramid means “Crossroads”, as it is located at the intersection of four Sak Be roads.

Coba city in Mexico, excursion to Coba to the Coba pyramid

Grupo Nohuch Mul

Nohoch Mul is a 15-minute walk from Grupo Coba (Groupo Koba). Nohoch Mul literally means “Great Mound”, but is better known as the “Great Pyramid”. Nohoch Mul – the second tallest Mayan pyramid on the Yucatan Peninsula, taller than “El Castillo” in Chichen Itza and the “Pyramid of the Magician” in Uxmal.

Climbing to the top of the Great Pyramid of Coba – Nohuch Mul is the most popular tourist activity. There are 120 narrow and steep steps leading up. Considering the height of the pyramid (42 m), as well as the absence of any fences or railings at the top and on the sides, the climb is a little scary, but from the top there are stunning views of a continuous sea of ​​​​green jungle. You can sit on ancient stones, think about the eternal, and then about the earthly - about the descent. Although going up is physically difficult, going down, oddly enough, is much more difficult. The steps are narrow, steep and quite slippery. The feeling during the descent is as if you are descending from the edge of a high cliff, a careless movement, and you can fly head over heels down. Many descend in a timid but reliable way: they sit on the top step and slowly crawl on their hands and knees, holding on to the rope.

Grupo Las Pinturas

The main attraction of this group is the Conjunto Las Pintura pyramid. Translated from Spanish, the word “pintura” means “paint”. Once upon a time, the monument was completely covered with colored frescoes.

City of Coba, Mexico: useful information

1. The city of Coba (Mexico) is open 7 days a week, from 8 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.;
2. We recommend that you do not travel around Kobe on foot, it is better to order a bicycle – rickshaw (tricycle with driver). This will save a lot of time and effort for the main – visiting the pyramid. You can rent bicycles, but they are quite old, because they are under open air, we do not recommend;
3. Be sure to wear comfortable, non-slip athletic shoes. The steps on the main pyramid of Koba are narrow with uneven edges, making it especially difficult to go down;
4. There are a lot of roads and walking paths in Coba. Some lead to the main pyramids of the city, others are lost in the jungle. It is very easy to lose orientation, it is better to come to Coba with a guide;
5. The city of Coba is located in the middle of the Yucatan jungle, a region with a very hot and humid climate, there are mosquitoes here, do not forget to take mosquito repellent.