Some of the best known architectural accomplishments of the Mayas
are their huge and breathtaking temples. The Mayas built their temples on immense
pyramids, with steps on each side that lead up to the temple. The temples were built out
of beautifully carved stones and their floors were adorned with elaborate stucco
decorations. The interior of the temple was decorated with mural paintings usually of
religious meaning.
The temples were built solely for religious purposes. Inside of these
temples, they Mayas preformed all type of ceremonies within two small, stepped, dark rooms
inside of this temple. The back wall of the inner room has a carved face of the god for
whom this temple was built. The architects had also decided to have a sky roof to truly
worship their god. This shows how creative and spiritual the Mayas were.
In addition to normal temples, the Maya has also had temples and
observatories in one. For examples, in the city of Chichen Itza, the Mayas studied the
movements of the earth, stars, and the planet Venus. The Castillo is the name given to the
large temple at Chichen Itza. During the day, the sun shines on only one set of stairs at
the temple. Twice a year, during the Vernal Equinox, the sun casts a shadow of a serpent
slithering down the staircases of the temple. This was all calculated through their
observations of the heavenly bodies. One interesting temple is the Temple of the Giant
Jaguar. Beneath it is a tomb of Ah Cacaw, and when the sun strikes the roof of the temple,
an outline of Ah Cacaw can be seen sitting on his throne.
Bibliography:
Chrisp, Peter, Looking Into the Past: The Maya, New York, Thomson
Learning, 1994
Some of the best known architectural accomplishments of the Mayas
are their huge and breathtaking temples. The Mayas built their temples on immense
pyramids, with steps on each side that lead up to the temple. The temples were built out
of beautifully carved stones and their floors were adorned with elaborate stucco
decorations. The interior of the temple was decorated with mural paintings usually of
religious meaning. 
The temples were built solely for religious purposes. Inside of these
temples, they Mayas preformed all type of ceremonies within two small, stepped, dark rooms
inside of this temple. The back wall of the inner room has a carved face of the god for
whom this temple was built. The architects had also decided to have a sky roof to truly
worship their god. This shows how creative and spiritual the Mayas were.
In addition to normal temples, the Maya has also had temples and
observatories in one. For examples, in the city of Chichen Itza, the Mayas studied the
movements of the earth, stars, and the planet Venus. The Castillo is the name given to the
large temple at Chichen Itza. During the day, the sun shines on only one set of stairs at
the temple. Twice a year, during the Vernal Equinox, the sun casts a shadow of a serpent
slithering down the staircases of the temple. This was all calculated through their
observations of the heavenly bodies. One interesting temple is the Temple of the Giant
Jaguar. Beneath it is a tomb of Ah Cacaw, and when the sun strikes the roof of the temple,
an outline of Ah Cacaw can be seen sitting on his throne.