Canyon del Sumidero (Mexico) is a national park of the country. It is well known to ecotourism lovers. Mexico is a state that attracts with its thousand-year history and fantastic natural beauties. About the Canyon del Sumidero and other attractions of this amazing region will be discussed in the article.
Basic data
In Mexico, Sumidero Canyon is located in the state of Chiapas, in the north in the direction from the city of Chiapa de Corso. It was formed at about the same time as the famous Grand Canyon, located in Arizona in the United States. The reason for the appearance of these creations of nature was the crack in the earth's crust and the centuries-old erosion of the Gridzhalva River, which still continues in these places.
In Sumidero Canyon, vertical walls reaching more than 1000 m, and the river has turns over 13 km to 90 °. This place is surrounded by a national park, which bears the same name. It is a federal territory protected by the state and extends over almost 22 hectares.
Description
The main part of the vegetation in Sumidero Canyon National Park is tropical deciduous forests located at medium and low heights, in which there are small mixed pine-oak forests and meadows.
In the north is the Chikoasen Dam and an artificial reservoir. The reservoir is one of several located on the Griyalva River. All reservoirs are very important for generating electricity and storing water supplies.
The National Park and the canyon are the main attraction of Mexico along with the cultural and historical architectural monument of the Mayans - Chichen Itza, located in the northern part of the Yucatan Peninsula.
Geology
As mentioned earlier, Sumidero Canyon was formed due to a crack in the earth's crust and erosion of the Gridzhalva River. The formation process, according to scientists, began about 35 million years ago.
The canyon is narrow and deep, framed by waterfalls, karst formations and caves. In total there are five waterfalls, two springs with fresh water, 30 rapids, three beaches and a cofferdam, which is three meters wide - this is a special hydraulic structure that allows you to fence off part of the water area and then completely pump water out of it for construction work.
Caves
Sumidero Canyon (Mexico) has many small caves, ancient rock formations and other natural wonders. One of the most famous caves is the Cave of Flowers, which received such an unusual name due to deposits of potassium, magnesium and other minerals that form colored layers on the rocks, especially pink. In one of the caves, the Virgin Mary of Guadalupe is depicted, and the nearby Cave of Silence surprises with the absence of echo and any resonance.
In the neighboring cave is stalactite, which, due to its shape, is called the Sea Horse. Amazing waterfalls are seasonal, such as the Christmas tree: the so-called "Christmas tree branches" are deposits of the waterfall, which are gradually covered with moss.
During the period when the rainy season begins, the waterfall becomes active, water and "branches" change color and form a geological formation.
It is noteworthy that Sumidero Canyon National Park was nominated in 2009 for the title of a new natural wonder of the world.
Flora
Mexico's natural attractions include the vegetation of a national park. In a dense forest consisting of tropical trees, many species of the family Fabacae and Asteraceae. These amazing representatives of the plant world form thickets in the state of Chiapas.
More than 125 species of rare ornamental plants grow in the canyon, 46 of which are used in the manufacture of medicines. The vegetation in these forests is mostly deciduous; during dry periods it changes color and falls. In addition to the rainforests in Sumidero Canyon, there are oak and pine. There are also meadows, most of which are artificial.
The maximum height of the trees ranges from 25 to 30 meters. At a time when in the dry seasons the bulk of the plants lose their foliage, some representatives of the flora remain green all year round.
Fauna
According to local scientists, in the Sumidero Canyon National Park area since the 1960s, wildlife has had a large negative impact. For example, the expansion of human settlement, the increase in agricultural land, hunting.
After the federal park was created in 1980, the diversity of wild flora and fauna began to increase markedly. In 1986, a report of scientists noted that 90 species of fauna live in the reserve, which include:
- 40 mammals;
- 14 reptiles;
- 4 types of fish;
- 1 amphibian;
- 26 birds.
Studies conducted 30 years later proved that the number of species increased from 90 to 300. In other words, the status of the national park allowed not only the inhabitants to live peacefully, but also increased the number and diversity.
Tourism and Attractions
Mexico is one of the most popular countries for travelers from around the world. The landscape of the canyon is one of the favorite panoramas of the country's guests. Ecological tourism is well developed in these places. In addition, extreme sports are often held in some places of the canyon, which attract thrill enthusiasts from around the world.
In the navigable part of the Griyalva River, an entertainment tourism industry is developed. For example, boat trips are carried out here, tourists are transported to inaccessible parts of Sumidero Canyon. The park has six observation platforms specially equipped for visitors, which can be easily reached on foot.
In the rainy season, there is an increase in tourist flow due to the fact that several waterfalls appear, which are not available in dry times. The canyon is the second most visited place after the world-famous Palenque, which will be discussed later.
Ancient city
Considering briefly the sights of Mexico, we will tell about the ancient city of Palenque. Translated from the ancient language of the Mayan Indians - this is "big water." This is the conditional name of the ruins into which the large Mayan city has turned. It is located in the northeastern part of Chiapas in Mexico. It was the political and cultural center of the Maya Indians in the period from III to VIII century, was the capital of the Bakul kingdom.
The main surviving buildings to date date back to 600-800 years. In the center of Maya is a large palace with a whole group of buildings that are located around two small and large courtyards. In the interior, decorative decoration and decorations in the form of stone and knockback reliefs are still preserved.
Palenque facilities
The main building is a palace, 92 x 68 m in size. The architecture of the structure is a square tower. Nearby structures are called the Temple of the Sun, the Temple of the Cross and the Temple of the Inscriptions.
In 1949, while conducting archaeological excavations, the Mexican scientist A. Rus Luillier found inside one of the buildings a room with a false arch, bas-reliefs and carvings on the walls. In the center of it was a sarcophagus, in which the remains of the leader Palenque were discovered. The tomb of the ruler was opened, and the precious jewels inside it were sent to Mexico City, to the National Anthropological Museum, where they are currently located. Also, the famous carved tombstone was delivered there. An exact copy was installed in the tomb itself.
Hypotheses of the death of civilization
Scientists suggest that Palenque most likely died due to the invasions of numerous neighboring tribes that lived on the Gulf of Mexico in the 9th century. The ruins of the ancient city became known to the civilized part of humanity from the 18th century. Since that period, they have been studied more than a dozen times. From 1949 to 1968, Mexican scientists conducted numerous archaeological research.
In 1999, researchers found a tomb in one of the temples, and in another an altar on which a relief depicting the grandson of the leader Pakal was knocked out. At the end of August 2018, scientists from Mexico found a mask of small sizes, which depicted the face of a rather elderly man with very long longitudinal wrinkles. As the researchers suggested, this is the image of Pakal himself, one of the rulers of the ancient Mayan city-state, who ruled in the 7th century.
Chichen Itza
Another attraction and interesting place in Mexico is one of the monuments of history and ancient architecture. This is the Mayan cultural center, which is located in the northern part of the Yucatan Peninsula, the holy city state of the Itza nation.
Translated from the language of the Indians, Maya Chichen Itza means "the mouth of the well of the sorcerers of water." There is another translation option, since “chi” means both “mouth” and “edge”. However, the first option is generally accepted, official.
Itza is a nation that at one time managed to achieve economic as well as political superiority in this region, the bulk of which was around the city itself. It is interesting that the people of Itza had a code called “Chilam-Balam”, which means “Book of the Jaguar-Prophet”.
It contains the myths of the Indians about the creation of the world, as well as explanations of various astronomical phenomena that coincide with representations on the same issue of European scholars of the late Middle Ages. The code describes the historical events that took place on the Yucatan Peninsula, medical prescriptions and, most surprisingly, the predicted conquest of the Spanish conquistadors.
Description of the city
In the city of Chichen Itza, like Palenque, structures unique for that time were erected. According to the researchers, itza created its civilization ldf centuries earlier than the Mayans who lived in Palenque.
Scientists have discovered several ancient temples: the dates of construction of some relate to the era of the Mayan Indians, and others to the Toltec period. Chichen Itza, presumably, was founded in the middle of the 5th century BC. e., and conquered from the 10th to the 11th centuries by the Toltecs, who made it the capital.
It is known that after less than two centuries the city was empty, but for what reason it happened is not known. All versions put forward by scientists have no evidence base and are based only on speculation.
Unique Native American cultures are still a mystery. Even though modern scholars have access to various historical documents and the latest technology, they cannot answer the question of how the Indians obtained and used such knowledge. This is a mystery that still remains unsolved.
Mexico is an amazing country that is rich in attractions. Those who are going to visit it need to take into account that here it will be interesting to lovers of eco-tourism, those who appreciate extreme relaxation, as well as those who prefer to study history and architecture, combining this with relaxation under the warm sun and a pleasant tropical climate. This is what attracts thousands of tourists from all over the world to this amazing country all year round.