The Pyramid of the Magician (Pirámide del Adivino), the most recognizable structure in Uxmal, is considered unique among Mayan ruins because of its rounded sides and elliptical base. Its exact height is disputed--reported as high as 40 meters and an accepted median of 36 meters--it is nonetheless the tallest in the complex. With a base measuring 69 by 49 meters, it features a steep 45-degree incline on the east and an even steeper 60-degree incline on the west. Also referred to as the Pyramid of Soothsayer or Pyramid of the Dwarf, it gets its name from an old folktale which says it was built by a powerful dwarf magician who was hatched from an egg by his sorceress mother. Under threat by an Uxmal king, he was ordered to build this temple within a fortnight, or else lose his life. El Adivino was built in five phases over three centuries during the Terminal Classic period. It is crowned by Temple V, which was completed between 950-1000 AD in the classic Puuc style. The opening in the center of the stairway was made by archeologists for exploratory purposes. Its platform partially covers the top of Temple IV, styled after a Chicanna Monster Mouth temple. In turn, its platform completely engulfs Temples II and III--the former of which can be reached by the east stairway through the evacuated hole. Portions of the original Tempe I are still visible--and being reassembled--at the ground level on the west west. It is positioned such that its steep westside, with a slope of 60 degrees and flanked by a stepped series of large masks of the rain god, faces the setting sun of the summer solstice. Uxmal, an ancient Maya city of the classical period covering 7500 km2 in el valle de Santa Elena (Santa Ana Valley) in the Puuc region of the southwestern Yucatán Peninsula, is considered one of the most important archaeological sites of Pre-Hispanic Mesoamerica. The site has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in recognition of its significance. No-one knows when the Mayan first settled in Uxmal. The Books of Chilam Balam date its founding to around 569 AD by Hun Uitzil Chac Tutil Xiu, but ceramic evidence points to occupation as early as 800 BC. The ruins on the site were constructed starting in the 6th century AD, with continued expansion over the next few centuries as the city became the cultural, economic and political center of the region, with peak population reaching around 25,000. Its buildings are typical of the Puuc style--with smooth low walls and ornate carvings and friezes embedded within the architecture. Unlike most other pre hispanic towns, Uxmal is laid out in relation to astronomical phenomena, and adapted to the topography of the site. Constructed at the thriving city stopped at some point in the 10th century before the Spanish came, but the dates of and reason for its abandonment are unknown.