Temple VIII is the first temple you encounter in the Central Plaza after exiting the tunnel. It feels good; a peaceful, gentle energy. I stayed up top for quite a while, just enjoying the experience.
According to the INAH Plaque accompanying this temple, Temple VIII has 2 large towers on the north and south sides which frame a grand facade in the center. Thick and tall columns covered with well cut and assembled stone blocks form the entrance to the principal/grand facade. A stela stands at the center of the principal entrance, which may commemorate a relevant official event of the ruler of Becan. The Mayans used some of the rooms constructed on the east side as living quarters. Archaeologists believe that the rooms in the interior of the group, which are up to 8 meters (about 26 feet) high and windowless, could have been used as storerooms or for religious ceremonies such as self-sacrifice, prayers, or fasting. From the center of the upper part of Temple VIII, you can see the principal building (Temple I) of Xpuhil to the east.
