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> Homepage > Homepage > Welcome > Destinations > Cancún >  Mayan legacy
Although Cancún was inhabited during the Late pre-Classic (300 B.C. - A.D. 100), the ancient temples in the area are much later. El Rey is the most accessible ancient Mayan site in or near the city. It is located in the Hotel Zone at km 17.5 (opposite Delfines Beach). The structures at El Rey are Late Postclassic period (1250-1550) and include 16 buildings, two plazas and two ceremonial walkways on a stretch of land overlooking the Nichupté Lagoon. The architectural style is in keeping with other contemporary sites such as Tulum, Xel-Há and El Meco. This supports the theory that the inhabitants of El Rey had trade and cultural ties with other coastal communities. Structure 3B is the best preserved building in the group. You can visit the site during the day and return at night (from 5 p.m.) for a show that includes a walk through the ruins, a visit to a Mayan village to see what life was like before the Conquest, dinner featuring regional specialties and the reenactment of an ancient legend.
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