Tulum history

Foundation and First Mentions

Tulum, which in ancient times bore the name Zama (translating from the Mayan language as "Dawn" or "Morning"), is one of the last cities built and inhabited by this civilization. The main period of its construction and flourishing occurred during the Post-Classic era, approximately between 1200 and 1450 AD. The first Spanish expeditions sailing past the coast in the early 16th century described it as a city comparable in size and beauty to Seville.

Key Factors of Development

The development of Tulum was driven by its unique strategic position. Unlike many other Mayan cities hidden in the jungles, it was oriented towards the sea.

• Geography and Defence: The city was built on 12-metre limestone cliffs, providing natural protection from the sea. On the other three sides, it was surrounded by a massive wall (hence the modern name "Tulum", meaning "Wall" or "Fence").
• Trade Hub: Tulum served as the main port for the major city of Coba. It controlled maritime trade routes around the Yucatan Peninsula, linking the Gulf of Mexico regions with Central America.

Early Cultural and Economic Features

The city's economy thrived due to active trade. Archaeological finds indicate that flows of obsidian from central Mexico and jade from Guatemala, as well as copper items and gold, passed through Tulum.

Culturally and socially, the city had a clear structure:

• Sacred Centre: Only the elite—rulers and priests—resided within the walls, while the general population lived outside the fortifications.
• Religious Significance: Tulum was an important centre for the worship of the "Descending God" (likely associated with the setting sun, rain, or beekeeping), images of whom adorn many surviving temples.

Ancient Era and Flourishing

• 564 AD — Dating of the earliest stele found in Tulum, indicating Mayan presence in the region long before the construction of the main walls.
• 1200–1450 — The period of highest prosperity for the city of Zama as a key trading port connecting the maritime and overland routes of the Yucatan.

Contact with Europeans and Abandonment

• 1518 — The Spanish expedition of Juan de Grijalva first spots the city from the sea, describing its towers as comparable in size to Seville.
• Late 16th Century — The city gradually empties and is abandoned by the indigenous inhabitants, likely due to new diseases introduced by the conquistadors.
• 1842 — Travellers John Lloyd Stephens and Frederick Catherwood visit the ruins and publish a detailed description, opening Tulum to the Western world.

Caste War and Archaeology

• 1847 — Beginning of the Caste War in Yucatan, during which Tulum later becomes an important refuge and sanctuary for Mayan rebels.
• 1871 — Under the leadership of priestess María Uicab, the city is fortified as a centre of the "Speaking Cross" cult.
• 1916–1924 — The Carnegie Institution, led by Sylvanus Morley, conducts the first large-scale scientific research and mapping of the ruins.

Modern History and Tourism

• 1981 — The Mexican government declares the area an archaeological zone and the surrounding ecosystems as Tulum National Park.
• 2015 — The city officially receives the honorary status of "Pueblo Mágico" (Magical Town) for preserving cultural heritage.
• 2023 — Opening of the new Felipe Carrillo Puerto International Airport, significantly simplifying tourist access to the resort.

Key Milestones of the City's Development

The history of Tulum is a journey from a closed sacred Mayan city to a global centre for bohemian leisure. Below are the main stages that shaped the modern appearance of the resort:

• Establishment of a Maritime Port (1200–1450): Transformation of the settlement into a key Mayan trade hub. This defined the unique urban structure with massive defensive walls and an orientation towards the sea to control obsidian and jade trade routes.
• Stronghold of Resistance (Late 19th Century): During the "Caste War", Tulum became one of the last refuges for independent Mayans and the centre of the "Speaking Cross" cult. This event played a decisive role in preserving the authentic traditions and language of the indigenous population in the region.
• Creation of the National Park (1981): The assignment of protected natural territory status legally shielded the ruins and coastline from mass construction. This decision divided the territory into an archaeological zone and a residential village, setting a course for eco-friendly tourism.
• Birth of the "Eco-Chic" Concept (2000s): Transformation from a place for "wild" camping holidays into a premium resort. The emergence of the unique architectural style Tulum Style, using natural materials, which attracted the global creative elite and investors.
• Receiving "Pueblo Mágico" Status (2015): Inclusion in Mexico's federal "Magical Towns" programme. This ensured federal funding for city centre improvements and cemented Tulum's image as an important cultural site rather than just a beach resort.
• Urbanisation and the Aldea Zama Project (2010s – Present): Large-scale urban expansion inland. The construction of modern districts with developed infrastructure turned the small village into a fully-fledged city with an active real estate market.
• Infrastructure Revolution (2023–2024): The opening of its own international airport and integration into the "Maya Train" (Tren Maya) railway network. These projects have taken the city's economy to a new level, making it an independent transport hub of the Riviera Maya.

Ancient Maya Architecture: Post-Classic Period

The architectural appearance of the historical part of Tulum was formed during the Post-Classic period (1200–1521). This era is distinguished from the monumental style of classic Mayan cities (such as Tikal or Palenque) by greater compactness and pragmatism.

• "Costa Oriental" Style (East Coast): This unique regional style is characterised by small temples with flat roofs supported by wooden beams and columns. Buildings often have walls with a slight outward slope at the top and cornices.
• Defensive Architecture: Tulum is a rare example of a fortified Mayan city. The massive Wall surrounding the city on three sides is a monument to the military engineering of that time, designed to protect the sacred centre.
• Iconic Structures:
  • El Castillo (The Castle): The dominant feature of the complex, which also served as a lighthouse for mariners.
  • Temple of the Frescoes: An example of decorative mastery, preserving traces of coloured murals and stucco.

Architectural Pause: Colonial Era and 19th Century

Unlike Mérida or Valladolid, Tulum lacks examples of colonial baroque, classicism, or neo-gothic styles. After the city's decline in the 16th century, the territory remained practically uninhabited, and capital construction was not conducted here until the late 20th century. This historical "gap" allowed the ruins to be preserved in their pristine natural surroundings.

Modernity: Eco-Chic and Tropical Modernism

In the 21st century, Tulum became the birthplace of its own architectural movement known as Tulum Style, which is copied by resorts all over the world.

• Concept: Integration of buildings into the jungle, blurring the boundaries between indoor and outdoor spaces, minimalism, and environmental friendliness.
• Materials and Techniques:
  • Chukum: Use of an ancient Mayan technique mixing resin from the chukum tree with limestone and concrete, giving walls a characteristic warm, earthy tone and water resistance.
  • Palapa: A reinterpretation of traditional dried palm leaf roofs in luxury hotel structures.
• Urban Planning Zones:
  • Zona Hotelera: The area along the beach, dominated by low-rise construction made of bamboo and wood, hidden in the greenery.
  • Aldea Zama: A modern district designed as a "new centre", combining urbanism with principles of sustainable development.

Explorers and Discoverers

• Juan de Grijalva — Spanish Conquistador. Leader of the 1518 maritime expedition, the participants of which became the first Europeans to see Tulum. It was in the logbooks of this expedition that the famous comparison of the city to Seville in terms of the size and beauty of its towers appeared.
• John Lloyd Stephens — American traveller and diplomat. Together with Catherwood, he visited the abandoned city in 1842. His fascinating travel notes "Incidents of Travel in Yucatan" rediscovered Tulum for the Western world and attracted scholarly attention to it.
• Frederick Catherwood — English artist and architect. Author of the first detailed and accurate sketches of the Tulum ruins (including the Temple of the Frescoes and El Castillo). His illustrations became a crucial historical document, recording the state of the monuments in the 19th century before destruction and restoration began.

Historical Figures and Maya Leaders

• María Uicab — Priestess and Mayan military leader. A key figure during the "Caste War" in the second half of the 19th century. Known as the "Queen of Tulum", she ruled an independent Mayan state and supported the "Speaking Cross" cult, making the city ruins a centre of resistance and pilgrimage.

Scientists and Archaeologists

• Sylvanus Morley — American archaeologist and Mayanist. Led expeditions for the Carnegie Institution in the early 20th century. His work on studying hieroglyphic inscriptions (including Stela 1 in Tulum) helped establish the chronology of the city's settlement.
• Samuel K. Lothrop — Archaeologist and anthropologist. Author of the fundamental 1924 work "Tulum: An Archaeological Study of the East Coast of Yucatan". He compiled the first precise maps of the settlement and classified the architectural style of the east coast.
• Arthur G. Miller — Art historian and archaeologist. In the 1970s, he conducted in-depth research on the mural painting of Tulum. His works allowed for the deciphering of the meaning of frescoes in the temples and understanding the cosmology of the inhabitants of the Late Post-Classic period.