Zona Arqueológica El Rey, Archaeological site in Cancún, Mexico
El Rey is an archaeological site in Cancún's Hotel Zone, featuring a main causeway lined with platforms and two small plazas. The site includes several structures, some with remnants of mural paintings depicting gods.
El Rey was founded around 300 AD by a small group of fishermen and later grew into a major port in the Caribbean coastal trade network. It flourished between 1300 and 1550, but was abandoned after the Spanish conquest.
The name El Rey comes from a human figure found in 1909, thought to represent a noble person. Today, visitors can see the layout of a community that once thrived on fishing and maritime trade.
The site is open daily from 8 am to 5 pm, with last entry at 4:30 pm. It is located at kilometer 18 of Kukulcán Boulevard and can be reached by public transport; facilities include restrooms and lockers.
The platforms along the north causeway are aligned with the pyramid of the nearby San Miguelito site, suggesting both were part of a single settlement over 3 kilometers long. Excavations have revealed burials indicating a community with high biological diversity, linked to Cozumel and Chichen Itza.
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