Toniná is a site constructed on a huge mountain that offers a great view of the four corners of the world. The ruins are located outside of the town of Ocosingo, Chiapas about 70 kilometers from Palenque. While the site is not one of the big attractions (probably because it is so close to Palanque) it certainly is worth seeing. Toniá is cut into the base of the mountain and uses boulders as construction material. It resembles a mountain fortress in some respects, and has some resemblance to Copán and Quiriguá. The ability to climb stairs is needed at these ruins.
The site was inhabited throughout the Classic, and was at its height between 600 and 909 C.E.. At the base of the acropolis there is a large plaza, ball court and several temples, altars, and stelae. The acropolis itself consists of seven platforms interconnected by stairways and passages. Archeologists have uncovered a wall sculpture that had been buried by the collapsed ruins from above centuries ago, and is in pristine condition. As the restoration continues the site is sure to reveal more and more of her secrets. All in all Toniná is worth the hike.
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