Mutal

Mutal, known from its ruins as Tikal, was one of the great Maya cities of the Petén forest. Towering temples, palaces and plazas formed the heart of a kingdom whose rulers raised carved monuments to record their history. During the Classic period Tikal competed with rival powers across the lowlands, and its influence extended far beyond its ceremonial center. The city declined near the end of that era; by the time of the later Itza kingdom, forest had overtaken much of its monumental heart.