Exploring Mixco Viejo: Architecture and History of a Maya Stronghold

For people used to the architecture and setting of Mayan archaeological sites in the Yucatán or northern Guatemala, Mixco Viejo is somewhat of an oddity. Not only is the site much less ancient than many of its counterparts, but its short period of occupation gives its architecture a sort of consistency not often seen in Mesoamerica.

Architecturally, the site resembles the Kaqchikel Maya Capital of Iximche, though its fertile location, taller hills, and dense vegetation make it feel completely different.

Mixco Viejo, also known as Jilotepeque Viejo, is an archaeological site of the Maya civilization in Chimaltenango, 40 kilometers north of Guatemala City. Its ruins cover over roughly 1.5 square kilometers and are surrounded by deep ravines.

Unlike more ancient Maya city-states such as Tikal in the northern department (the equivalent of states or provinces) of Petén, Mixco Viejo was founded in the 12th century C.E. in the mountains. Built atop a natural plateau further leveled with an artificial platform and surrounded by steep gorges of the Pixcayá River, it was a natural fortress. Its compact layout, with limited access points, highlights its primary function as a defensive stronghold.

Known as structures B3a and B3b, each of these temples has five stepped levels and faces onto the site’s main plaza.Photo: Carlos Rosado van der Gracht / Yucatán Magazine
Having stone markers instead of the usual stone ring hoops is not unheard of in the Mayan world, but it does appear to have been relatively rare.Photo: Carlos Rosado van der Gracht / Yucatán Magazine
Mixco Viejo’s ballcourt is described as a “sunken,” as its field is located below ground level — a feature quite common in late post-classic sites.Photo: Carlos Rosado van der Gracht / Yucatán Magazine
A detail of Mexico Viejo’s ballcourt shows a small staircase descending onto its northern end.Photo: Carlos Rosado van der Gracht / Yucatán Magazine
Archeological evidence suggests that Mixco Viejo’s Structure A1 dates to the 13th Century.Photo: Carlos Rosado van der Gracht / Yucatán Magazine
As impressive as several structures at Mixco Viejo are, the artificial platform on which the entire site sits is perhaps even more so.Photo: Carlos Rosado van der Gracht / Yucatán Magazine
Facing west, Structure D1 is one of the largest constructions at Mixco Viejo. Its southern end collapsed sometime in the early 20th century, but archeologists did such a good job restoring it that the damage is nearly invisible.Photo: Carlos Rosado van der Gracht / Yucatán Magazine
Though little evidence of stucco remains visible at Mixco Viejo today, all of the city’s structure would have once been completely covered in this material — as well as painted in bright colors.Photo: Carlos Rosado van der Gracht / Yucatán Magazine
A panoramic view of Group A of Mixco Viejo from atop Structure B3b.Photo: Carlos Rosado van der Gracht / Yucatán Magazine
A map shows the location of Mixco Viejo in Guatemala.Image: Google Maps

The city’s name results from a misunderstanding stemming from colonial-era records that erroneously associated it with the non-Maya Postclassic Poqoman capital of the same name.

The site comprises 15 groups containing the remains of 120 structures, including temples, plazas, and Mesoamerican ballcourts.

Given its compact size and its obviously defensive location, it is unlikely that the city itself could sustain a large population. However, there is evidence of small-scale constructions on the banks of the Pixtacaya River, where larger groups of people likely lived and fished outside the city’s core.

The architecture of Mixco Viejo is characterized by the use of pumice stone slabs, a highly porous volcanic material. In many ways, Mixco Viejo is archetypal of post-classical era construction in Mesoamerica, taking its artistic cues from much larger cities in central Mexico in the Región del Altiplano.

Perhaps the most iconic structures at Mixco Viejo are the so-called Twin Pyramids, though, in reality, these ceremonial temples are far from pyramidal in shape. Each is accessed by way of a single steep stairway and stands at just over 7 meters.

Built in a style very similar to that of the Twin Pyramids, Structure A1 is located on the northern end of the artificial platform upon which the entire site sits. However, at 13 meters tall, Mixco Viejo’s Structure A1 stands almost exactly twice the height.

Located to the south of the site’s central plaza is Mixco Viejo’s Mesoamerican ballcourt, of the “sunken variety”. The ballcourt is accessible from two entrances located on either end. A sunken ballcourt, as the name implies, is characterized by its construction below the level of the surrounding plaza or ground. This is achieved by building up two long, parallel lateral structures, creating a narrow central playing alley that is effectively “sunk” between them. The sunken design created a natural amphitheater of sorts, where the ball’s impact would reverberate throughout the space, intensifying the game’s sensory experience.

But one of the most notable features of Mixco Viejo’s ballcourt is its beautiful marker, the only surviving sculpture at the site. It depicts a human head emerging from the mouth of a serpent, a motif associated with the feathered serpent deity Quetzalcóatl (known as Kukulkán to the Maya), linking it to broader Mesoamerican religious traditions. The stone marker is similar to those found across the Mayan world at sites like Uxmal or Copán.

As photographs of the site clearly show, aside from being extremely interesting from an archaeological perspective, Mixco Viejo’s beauty is complemented by its gorgeous surroundings in the Guatemalan highlands.

As cell phone coverage in the area can be spotty and security is not all that great, it is perhaps best to visit Mixco Viejo as part of an organized tour departing from either Antigua or Guatemala City.

Carlos Rosado van der Gracht

Senior Editor Carlos Rosado van der Gracht, PhD, is a journalist, photographer, and expedition leader. Born in Mérida, Carlos holds degrees from universities in Mexico, Canada, and Norway. Most recently, he earned a doctorate in Heritage Studies in 2026.