The city of Huehuetenango is affectionately called Huehue by locals. The people of neighboring Mexico appreciate it for the regular supply of one of the most delicious coffees in the world. There are not many tourists in the city, but this makes it even more pleasant to wander along its streets. You can walk along the alleys of Central Park, visit the Cathedral of the Inmaculada Concepción, or take a couple of Spanish lessons. All the locals are happy to be teachers there. But the main attraction of these places, for which thousands of tourists come to this city, are the immortal ruins of Zaculeu. It's one of the well-preserved ancient cities of the Maya civilization.

The archaeological area is just a 5-minute drive from Huehuetenango. So you can enjoy its impressive size and mysterious buildings from dawn till dusk, and then slowly return to the city for dinner.

The name Zaculeu means white land. It used to be a prosperous Maya city and an important religious center of the empire. Thanks to the natural protection of mountains and rivers, the city had an advantageous strategic location and subsequently became the capital of the Mam Kingdom. Residents of one of the most important indigenous tribes were occupying these lands for many centuries, from the early classical period in Mesoamerica to the arrival of the Spanish colonialists in the 16th century.

The ruins of Zaculeu were discovered and restored by a group of archaeologists led by Richard Woodbury and Aubrey S. Trik in 1940 with the support of the American fruit growing company UFC. The whole complex consists of several squares, temples, and pyramids. The height of the most impressive pyramidal temple reaches 12 meters and dates back to the classical period.

The architecture of that time demonstrates the influence of Teotihuacan, the City of the Gods. In later buildings, the features of the buildings of the K'iche' Kingdom are noticeable. Kʼicheʼ conquered the city in the post-classical period and ruled until the arrival of the Spanish conquerors in 1525. After that, Zaculeu shared the same fate with other ancient cities of these places.