After years closed for safety reasons, the Nohoch Mul pyramid in Cobá, the tallest in the Yucatán Peninsula, will welcome visitors starting December 2025. The reopening features a new wooden staircase ensuring safe access and highlighting archaeological discoveries on female dynasties and Maya alliances. The site, a vast pre-Hispanic metropolis, aims to boost local tourism while balancing preservation and economy.
The Nohoch Mul pyramid, also known as La Iglesia, stands 43 meters tall as the centerpiece of the Cobá archaeological zone in Quintana Roo. Closed for six years, its reopening addresses community ejidal demands and safety enhancements, according to INAH Quintana Roo director, ethnologist Margarito Molina Rendón.
The new wooden staircase, designed by the Coordinación Nacional de Obras y Proyectos and approved by the Consejo de Arqueología, was built by carpenters from Nueva Esperanza using durable jungle woods from the Noh Bec community. These craftsmen have three to four decades of experience, ensuring the structure's longevity and protection. In an interview, Molina Rendón highlighted that this allows tourists to climb 114 steps and enjoy the jungle landscape, evoking the grandeur of a Maya metropolis rivaling Chichén Itzá.
Cobá, meaning 'choppy water' or 'stirred water,' was founded around 200 B.C. and peaked between 500 and 1000 A.D. Spanning 70 square kilometers, it forged political and trade alliances with cities like Ichkabal, Tikal, and Calakmul, reaching the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean. A key discovery is the rule of four women, uncovered by archaeologists like Octavio Esparza, underscoring female roles in the local dynasty.
This effort is part of the Promeza Program in Quintana Roo, involving monument consolidation and signage improvements. Dialogue with ejidatarios, such as Atilano Ubá who delivered an emotional speech at the inauguration, prioritizes economic benefits through longstanding services like bicycles and tricycles, though the main path remains pedestrian to avoid disturbing walkers. Explorers like John Lloyd Stephens in 1842 and Teobert Maler in 1891 documented the site, with INAH registering 14 rulers for ongoing protection.
The reopening invites rediscovery of Cobá's legacy, promising not only panoramic views but also future excavations revealing more pre-Hispanic history.
