Kaminaljuyu, Maya archaeological site in Guatemala City, Guatemala

Kaminaljuyu is an archaeological site in Guatemala City with more than 200 mound structures spread across five kilometers. The pyramids and platforms lie in the center of the modern city, surrounded by residential neighborhoods, with some mounds still rising above the urban landscape.

Settlement began around 1200 BCE and grew into a major trade center in the central highlands. The city reached its peak during the late preclassic period and was gradually abandoned around 900 CE.

The name Kaminaljuyu was given in 1936 by education minister José Antonio Villacorta, drawing on a K'iche' term for mounds of the ancestors; the city's original name is still debated, with David Stuart proposing Chih Ka', "Maguey Metate". Preclassic plazas held sculptures of toads, bats, owls, jaguars and serpents, and painted murals and giant masks faced the building sides.

The site sits within residential neighborhoods, so visitors walk through ordinary city streets to reach different areas. The paths are mostly level but can become slippery after rain, so sturdy footwear is recommended.

A system of irrigation channels connected fields to the former Lake Miraflores, allowing intensive farming around the city. This technique helped residents grow large amounts of maize and other crops, supporting the settlement's prosperity.