page_title: Plaza of the Seven Temples
section_title: Layout
hierarchical_section_title: Plaza of the Seven Temples / Layout
caption_attribution_description: English: Plaza of the Seven Temples, west side. Tikal, Peten, Guatemala. Español: El lado oeste de la Plaza de los Siete Templos en Tikal. Petén, Guatemala.
context_page_description: The Plaza of the Seven Temples is an architectural complex in the ruins of the Maya city of Tikal, in the Petén Department of northern Guatemala. It is to the south of Temple III and to the west of the South Acropolis; it is 300 metres to the southwest of the Great Plaza. The Plaza of the Seven Temples is situated directly to the east of the Mundo Perdido Complex and takes its name from a row of seven small temples dating to the Late Classic Period. The plaza has a surface area of approximately 25,000 square metres, making it one of the three largest plazas in the city.
context_section_description: The main axis of the Plaza appears to originally have run north-south from the central ballcourt on the north side through to the palace structure 5D-91 on the south side. The flanking structures 5D-90 and 5D-92 were then built as annexes on the south side of the plaza, at the same time as the east and west ballcourts were added on the north side. The seven temples themselves appear to have been a later development, taking advantage of the adjoining west terrace of the South Acropolis. Archaeologists have divided the Plaza of the Seven Temples into a number of zones:
  The Central Patio is the inner courtyard of the plaza, enclosed by the surrounding buildings. It has a surface area of 8,000 square metres (86,000 sq ft) and inclined slightly so as to drain runoff rainwater from the northeast corner, towards the Temple III reservoir. The seven temples are aligned along the east side of the patio. It is bordered on the south by a palace complex. On the north side it is enclosed by a number of structures that formed a triple ballcourt. The west side of the Central Patio is formed by the rear of an E-Group complex.
  The North Patio is the area immediately north of the triple ballcourt.
  The East Patio is the area immediately behind the seven temples. It is actually the western terrace of the South Acropolis. One of the walls has been dated as far back as the Preclassic Period.
  The South Patio is the zone to the south of the southern palace.
  The west side of the plaza is enclosed by the remains of an E-Group complex facing westwards onto a neighbouring plaza.
caption: West side of the plaza
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