El Mirador

El Mirador, an ancient urban center in Guatemala, thrived almost a thousand years before Tikal began constructing its first pyramid. By 600 BC, it had grown into one of the Americas’ first megacities, with a population nearing 100,000. Excavated about 30 years ago, the site’s discoveries significantly altered the understanding of early Maya history. Today, visitors can explore the remnants of this once-thriving metropolis, walking among the foundations and structures that reveal the sophistication and scale of this ancient civilization.