Originally called Zama, meaning morning or dawn in ancient Maya, the city was later renamed Tulum, the Mayan word for palisade or wall, for its most important asset of defense, the five meter  (16 feet) thick wall surrounding it. The present name seems to be used after the city was already in ruins.  WIth its many records in murals and other works found amongst  the buildings, it is believed that Tulum was an important center of worship for the "descending god”,  an upside down winged figure found over doorways and in many other places  throughout the city.

Although there are inscriptions dating from 564, most of the buildings seen today were built in the post period of the Mayan civilization, between the years 1200 and 1450. The city was still inhabited in the early years of the Spanish colony, but by the late sixteenth century there were no longer residents. Until the early twentieth century local visitors came to bring gifts, but the continuous stream of tourists made the practice obsolete.  Some frescoes found inside buildings along with some of the architecture suggest a  heavy Mixtec influence, especially from the Post Classic period, adding even more importance to the site.

The Tulum archaeological site is very compact, especially compared to other Mayan sites.  Perched on a cliff overlooking the shores of the Caribbean Sea, it is one of the best preserved Mayan sites.

TOURISM

The Riviera Maya, stretching from Canun to the North to Tulum at theSouth, contains many major tourist sites and along with its well developed infrastructure has helped to make Tulum is the third most visited archaeological site in Mexico, only behind Teotihuacan and Chichen Itza.

Tulum is the perfect place to relax and experience the tranquility that characterizes the Mayan people. Just 10 minutes North is the ecological park Xel-Ha, Mexico’s “Natural Wonder” and the world’s largest natural aquarium with many activities including snorkeling, swimming with dolphins, kayaking, snuba (a cross between scuba diving and snorkeling), a river float, over 350 varieties of trees and much more. Further north is the archeological Xcaret eco-park where you will find ruins of the ancient Mayan city Pol, in addition to the recreation of an ancient Mayan village, a display of regional flora and fauna with sea turtles, flamingos, macaws, a butterfly sanctuary, a coral reef aquarium, bromeliads and orchids, jaguars, plus the ability to explore the caves and underground rivers and snorkeling, and snuba trek in its coral reefs.

One of the biggest attractions in the Yucatan Peninsula , with many located near Tulum, are the cenotes, large freshwater wells containing numerous stalagmites and stalactites.

At the Tulum site, The Castle is the most outstanding building , both for its location (built on a cliff 40 feet from the beach) and the facade of the temple top, decorated with columns, streamers, masks, and a zoomorphic deity descending.

At the Temple of the Descending God, we can see the figure of a winged god descending, principal iconographic element of the city. The Temple of the Frescoes, the city’s oldest building, is adorned with murals, some of which have the original colors well preserved. The House of Columns and Halach Uinic House are located on the main road, and are important examples of residential architecture of Tulum.

Enjoy the beautiful ocean view from the cliff, get an up close look at many of the large iguanas that live on the site, and don’t forget to visit the beach area for a refreshing swim in the clear Caribbean Sea.

The municipality now has just over 30 thousand inhabitants and has a population growth similar to Playa del Carmen, 12% a year, according to figures from the State Population (Coespo).

The State of Quintana Roo has the largest population growth of Mexico at 4.1%, compared to the national average of 0.5%, due to the phenomenon of migration and the floating population that arrives daily in search of employment in tourist cities like Cancun, Playa del Carmen, Tulum, Cozumel and Isla Mujeres.
On average, each year brings 70 thousand new residents to the states of Yucatan, Tabasco, Veracruz, Chiapas and the Federal District. The greatest population growth is located in the municipalities of Solidaridad (Playa del Carmen) and Tulum at 12% per annum and Benito Juárez (Cancún) with 6%.