The Land of Mayas

Stars rotate around the north celestial pole above a tropical jungle in Guatemala where some of the most notable temples of ancient Maya are remained. Note the bright meteor that is captured on the image left side. TWAN photographer spent several adventurous nights in Tikal to make the first images of Guatemala in The World at Night collection. Tikal is a World Heritage Site and one of the largest archaeological sites and urban centers of the pre-Columbian Maya civilization. Tikal was the capital of a conquest state that became one of the most powerful kingdoms of the ancient Maya. Though architecture at the site dates back as far as the 4th century BC, Tikal reached its apogee during the Classic Period, about 200 to 900 AD. During this time, the city dominated much of the Maya region. © Stephane Guisard