Tulum was one of the last cities to be built and inhabited by the Mayans.

The city thrieved mainly from the 15 th to the 16th century. It was originally named Zama, which means dawn. This name is related to this location, which lies on the extreme eastern side of the Yucatán peninsula, dirextly facing the sunrise.

Tulum was a walled city, reflecting the turbulent political situation of the time. The enormous wall, which defends ist three landward sides, has only five small and narrow entrances.

There are more than fifty buildings within the wall, most of which were temples dedicated to religious ceremonies, while others served as living quarters for the lords and priests. They were all constructed following a pattern: the major buildings lie in the center and from there, two roads branch out heading north and south, along which most of the platforms are aligned.On top of the platforms were wood houses with thatched roofs, which have not withstood the effects of time.

Commoners did not live within Tulum itself, but rather in the surrounding countryside. The only times they entered the city was to assist at religious ceremonies or attend matters with the lords who held a government office.

Tulum was a richly decorated city in which all the temples were painted. Some of them boasted murals not only on the inside but on the outside as well. The facades were adornes with sculptures and stucce reliefs.

The Tulum Maya site was abandoned 450 years ago.