Uxmal (pronounced "Oosh-mall") in the original Mayan language means "Three times" and is supposed to refer to the number of times the city has been rebuilt or expanded with major constructions, so the name is sometimes meant to be interpreted as "Thrice Built".

Uxmal is the largest and perhaps the best known city in the lower west region of the Yucatan commonly known as the "Puuk" region (pronounced "pook" which is the Mayan word for "hills" which reflects the surrounding topography). It is most commonly visited by people from the area of Merida. This region was settled late in the Mayan chronology, likely due to the lack of surface water or cenotes that appear in other cities like Chichén Itzá. Uxmal, and other cities in the Puuk region, show the typical architectural hallmark of this region. Relatively simple base structures with elaborately laid stone mosaics in the upper friezes, revealing very detailed designs and patterns. The sun casts a myriad of shadow on the existing designs intending to transform the building into a mystical stone passageway where gods, ancestors, kings and supernatural beings of all sorts lived. The designs also indicated the religious and political significance of each building to those that may travel from afar to view them.

Archeologists place the construction of Uxmal to be in the late classic period, around 800-1000 AD. This was a time of great change in the Mayan world as other, smaller cities in the lowland south were already abandoned.Similar to other cities of the Maya like Tulum, Uxmal was surrounded by a wall that encompassed the central portion of the city and most of the significant buildings and ceremonial centers. The wall may have been defensive in its origin, but it also served to separate the "royal" and sacred areas of the city from the general populace and the residential areas. This sacred precinct included platforms, plazas, courtyards and buildings combined into interrelated groups, each with a unique and specific function and ritual association. The builders of the city linked all these different precincts and distinct areas by using line-of-sight, controlled access points and the repetition of common aspects of design and imagery.

Early scholars once thought that Uxmal, and other peaceful Maya cities in the Puuk region, were destroyed by the inhabitants of Chichén Itzá. Many archeologists question this history now that they have additional evidence supported by the books of the Chilam Balam as well as radiocarbon dating. It is now believed that Uxmal co-existed with these other cities and that they were not warring with each other. According to these descriptions, the migrations of the Itzá and the Tutul Xiw, (a clan who were the rulers of Uxmal), to northern Yucatan began in the k'atun 8 Ahaw (672-692 AD). A group of the Tutul Xiw led by Ah-Kuy-Tok'-Tutul-Xiw established themselves at Uxmal and reigned from k'atun 2 Ahaw (751 AD) through k'atun 10 Ahaw (928 AD) or for a total or 177 years. Ah-Kuy-Tok' means "He of the Owl Flint". Ah-Kuy also means warrior in to the Telchaquillo dialect of the Yucatan so apparently he was a warrior as well as perhaps a conqueror. Forty years later in k'atun 11 Ahaw (790 AD) the Itzá organized a founding assembly at Ichkantiho, the Classic period name for Tz'ibilchaltun. Among this group were the lords of Mutul (Tikal), Chichén Itzá, Itzamal, a place called Chable and and several other places as yet unidentified. The chronicle in unclear but states "The Xiw might have been there also". The hieroglyphic step from the Chanchimez group at Uxmal refers to the famous K'ak'upakal of Chichén Itzá, although the context is unclear, the name of a contemporary ruler of Chichén Itzá does appear at Uxmal which, when combined with their apparent membership in a counsel along side Chichén Itzá, does seem to indicate that they were, in fact, allies.

The books of the Chilam Balam also relate a story of a migration of some earlier "cousins" of the Tutul Xiw of Uxmal. This group left a place called Nonowal. Their leaders were Holon-Chan-Tepew who was probably their king, and Ah-Mek'at-Tutul-Xiw who may have been one of his chiefs. This group of the Tutul Xiw migrated for 81 years until 9.16.1.0.0 (771AD) when they reached a region called Chaknabiton which was suspected to have been near central Campeche. They reigned there for 91 years after which they moved on to Uxmal to meet up again with their cousins in 849 AD.

Chan-Chak-K'ak'nal-Ahaw seems to have been the most successful and revered ruler of Uxmal. On stelae 11 and 14 he is shown in a war costume reminiscent of those worn by the Maya pictured in the murals at Bonampak and at other cities in the area. The inscriptions of the Nunnary tell us that King Chan-Chak-K'ak nal-Ahaw (also known as Lord Chak) is credited with shaping most of the city of Uxmal that we see today.

Three of the key structures at Uxmal have been attributed to his reign. The House of the Governor, The Ballcourt and the Nunnary Quadrangle. Many believe that these structures represent the finest examples of Maya architecture ever built.

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