Flores [key], town (1990 est. pop. 2,200), capital of Petén department, N Guatemala. Flores was built on an island in the southern part of Lake Petén Itzá and on the site of the Itzá Mayan city of Tayasal. Tayasal was not taken by the Spanish until 1697 and may have been the last major functioning Mayan ceremonial complex. All traces of Tayasal were destroyed by the Spanish. Flores is a commercial center for the surrounding region; chief products include chicle, hardwoods, rubber, and sugarcane. The town is connected to the lakeshore and the neighboring towns of Santa Elena and San Benito by a causeway.
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