Guatemala - The so-called Mayan Apocalypse didn’t occur, but an ancient Maya temple almost met its end.

Tourists flocking to Guatemala for "end of the world" parties on December 21st, damaged an ancient stone temple at Tikal, the largest archeological site and urban center of the Mayan civilization.

"Sadly, many tourists climbed Temple II and damaged it," said Osvaldo Gomez, a technical adviser at the site which is located about 340 miles north of Guatemala City. "We are more than fine with the celebration, but people should be more aware...this is a UNESCO World Heritage Site."

While Gomez did not provide specific details on the what was done to the site, he indicated it is irreparable. "There is a reason why climbing the stairs is forbidden," he said.

Temple II, which is about 125 feet high and faces the central Tikal plaza, is one of the site's best known structures. More than 7,000 people visited Tikal to witness Mayan priests hold a colorful ceremony to mark the end of an era that lasted 5,200 years, and light fires as the sun emerged to welcome a new era.

Despite the tourist boom, critics complained the event had little to do with Mayans. Nearly 43 percent of Guatemala’s 14.3 million residents are native Mayans and most live in poverty and endure discrimination.

The end of the year frenzy started when some interpreted that the end of the Mayan Long Count Calendar predicted that December 21, 2012 would be the last day of the world as we know it.

"The majority of the doomsayers cite a monument from Tortugero, Mexico that mentions the 2012 date, but the main glyph that would tell us what they thought about the date is broken off," said Sonja Schwake, an anthropological archaeologist.

UNESCO declared Tikal a World Heritage Site in 1979.