Mayan Architecture
The Maya are known for many things, such as,mathematics, food, and, especially, their architecture. Some of the Maya's architecture ranges from small huts, to large houses, to beautiful, elaborate, and complex temples. The basic Maya structure was the hay huts which housed most of the Mayan population. The walls were made of mud or stone and were covered with wooden poles. These poles were no taller that about 20 meters. On the top of these sticks, the structure rests and it has another 3-5 meters of height on top. These sticks hold together the strongly tilted, two sided hay form.
As for the stone huts were made of lime stone(a stone that is easily cut, and when crushed into powder and mixed with water makes a pasty substance). The many deposits of these stones helped build these higher class homes. There was, however, similarities between them and the hay huts. Of course, the main difference was the material used to make the two buildings.
Below: A Mayan Temple.
Style
The steps on the buildings were usually wide and steep. They were built on either one or more sides. Sometimes, the steps were placed on the back side of the top of the building so ample space was left between the front and the sets of steps that gave access to them.
Usually, most Maya buildings were pointed, not flat. As for the superficial plans, they depended according to the use of the building. Temples generally have only two chambers, one behind the other, one for sacrifice and one for burial. One could enter by a door which opened on the far wall. The interior chambers was sanctuary and the exterior rooms was used for less reserved ceremonies. In a palace, the type of construction was almost always two long files of chambers, one behind the other for royalty.
Mayas may have cut and polished the stone blocks individually for their buildings. The exterior as well as the interior walls were originally covered with a substance called lime stucco(a lime powder mixed with water). Stucco covered all of the joinings. This was very obvious in the Yucatan buildings that made no effort to recarve the joinings.
Below: A side shot of a Mayan Temple.
Temples
One of the best know architectural sites for the Mayas is their huge and breathtakingly elegant temples. The Mayas built their temples on immense pyramids with steeped bases, and each side of the pyramid had a set of steps that lead up to the temple. The temples were built out of beautifully carve stones and its only floor was adorned on the exterior with elaborate and wonderful stucco decorations. As for the interior, it was decorated with mural paintings.
Of course, these temples were built for religious purposes. Mayans 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 this god. The architects have also decided to have a sky roof to truly worship[ their god. This shows how creative and spiritual they were.
Below: A Mayan Temple.
