Overlooking the Mopan River, the ruins of Xunantunich are located approximately eight miles west of San Ignacio Town at San Jose Succotz Village in the Cayo District.
The ruins are accessible by public transportation, but after being ferried across the Mopan River, you must walk about one mile to the entrance of the site. By using a travel and tour operator, you will be ferried across with their vehicle, thus eliminating the walk.
Xunantunich was a major ceremonial center during the Classic Period. The site is composed of six major plazas, surrounded by more than twenty-five temples and palaces.
The most prominent structure located at the south end of the site is the pyramid "El Castillo"(The Castle) which rises 130 feet high above the plaza. " El Castillo" was the tallest man-made structure in all of Belize, until the discovery of "Canaa" at Caracol. The most notable feature on "El Castillo" is the reconstructed frieze on the east side of the lower temple.
Currently, additional explorations and excavations are being performed by Dr. Richard Leventhal and the Department of Archaeology, in an effort to better understand the history of Xunantunich.
