Chichen Itza is a legendary Mayan city. Chichen Itza, Mexico: the legacy of the ancient Mayans and Toltecs. Revealing all the secrets

(Chichen Itza) is an ancient city founded by the Mayans in the 6th century. The Pyramids of Chichen Itza are one of the most visited sites in the Yucatan. The name Chichen Itza itself is translated from the Mayan language as “ Mayan well", due to the fact that on the territory ancient city There are 13 cenotes (natural wells). One of them, the Sacred Cenote, served as a sacrifice to the Rain God.

In the 10th century, the city of Chichen Itza was captured by the Toltecs, and in 1194 the city was deserted. Why the residents left Chichen Itza is still not known.

Ancient city and pyramids of Chichen Itza located on the Yucatan Peninsula, 205 km from the famous resort and 120 km from Merida. Chichen Itza is one of the most popular and most visited attractions in the Yucatan Peninsula. Almost all tourists who come on vacation to Mexico, to Cancun, consider it their duty to visit the archaeological complex of Chichen Itza, so there are always a lot of people here. It is advisable to arrive at the opening, then you have a chance to walk around the complex alone 😎

The ancient city and pyramids of Chichen Itza are protected by UNESCO.

How to get to the pyramids of Chichen Itza, Mexico

1. By bus. ADO buses run from Cancun and Merida. The cost of a ticket Cancun - Chichen Itza is 80 - 140 pesos (depending on the class of the bus). Travel time is 3-4 hours. Ticket price Merida – Chichen Itza 50-80 pesos, travel time 1.45 – 2.5 hours
2. Can buy organized excursion to Chichen Itza, group or individual. The excursion can be booked at any hotel or arranged in advance with personal guide. To book a tour, simply follow the link.
3. On rented car . In my opinion, this is the best way to get to Chichen Itza. You can see other sights along the way. Read about how to rent a car in Mexico in Cancun. From Cancun you can get to Chichen Itza by toll or toll roads.

Opening hours and cost of visiting the archaeological complex of Chichen Itza

The Chichen Itza complex is open to the public from 8:00 to 17:00. The evening light show takes place at 7:00 p.m. winter period and at 20:00 in the summer.

Cost of tickets to Chichen Itza: a ticket to Chichen Itza consists of two parts - a ticket for 125 pesos and a ticket for 57 pesos, total entrance fee 182 pesos (14.5 dollars). These are the most expensive pyramids we visited in Mexico 😎

Parking near Chichen Itza is also paid - 22 pesos (just under 2 dollars).

We knew we had to get to Chichen Itza as early as possible, so we left at 6:30 am! It’s good that the time difference with Moscow is 10 hours; in the first days we got up at 6 am without any problems.

We drove to Chichen Itza along a toll road to save time. Traveling along the Cancun-Chichen Itza toll road is not at all cheap: we paid twice, the first time 251 pesos, the second time 61 pesos, a total of 312 pesos (almost 25 dollars!!!)….

Toll road Cancun - Chichen Itza

...and for what? A little less than 200 km away. We drove these 200 km in 3 hours, I don’t know how people manage to drive them in 2 hours? We don’t break the rules, we didn’t exceed the speed limit, we stopped once at a gas station for 5 minutes.

We arrived at the entrance to the archaeological complex of Chichen Itza at 9:30 in the morning.

There were already cars of independent travelers in the parking lot, but not as many as I thought. We bought tickets, and the guides immediately began to pester us, but we, of course, refused them. At the entrance to the complex there is a toilet (free), souvenir shops, and a cafe.

The first thing that catches your eye when entering the archaeological zone is the main attraction of Chichen Itza (or El Castillo, translated from Spanish as “the castle”).

The main attraction of Chichen Itza is the Pyramid of Kukulkan

This nine-tiered pyramid is 24 meters high, on top of which there is a temple in which sacrifices were made. The Kukulkan pyramid is symmetrical and has four staircases. And each staircase consists of 91 steps. If the number of steps 91 is multiplied by the number of stairs 4 and added one (the upper platform), we get the number 365 - the number of days in a year!

Central (northern) staircase of the Kukulkan pyramid

Not the main staircase of the Kukulkan pyramid :)

The Pyramid of Kukulcan is also known as Pyramid of the Feathered Serpent . Every year, on the days of the equinox, March 20 and September 21, many people come to the Kukulcan pyramid to see one very interesting phenomenon: at about 3 o’clock in the afternoon the sun illuminates the main staircase of the pyramid so that shadows are formed - triangles, together looking like the tail of a snake, As the sun moves, the triangles fade out and form the effect of a snake crawling down.

By the way, you can see this spectacle at the nightly light show.

Temple of Warriors

Let's go to "group of a thousand columns" , here is a place called the market.

In general, this part of the Chichen Itza archaeological zone is quite sparsely populated and calm. And the sun is not too hot, it’s nice to take a walk or relax under the canopy of trees.



Attracts attention ball field . This is one of the largest fields in the complex, its length is 166 m, width 68 m, wall height 12 m. Stone rings are fixed at a height of 8m. The Mayans played ball here. The game was called “pot-ta-pok”, it was played with a rubber ball that weighed about 4 kg and could only be hit with the hip. It is assumed that the game ended with a sacrifice.

Field for playing ball: on the wall there is a ring where, according to the rules of the game, the ball had to be scored

You cannot climb the Kukulcan pyramid or other ruins. They say that previously it was possible to climb the pyramid, but then this activity was banned. Either someone fell from the pyramid, or they are simply afraid that the pyramid will deteriorate and collapse... Therefore, a walk around the Chichen Itza complex did not take us much time - only two hours.















When we headed towards the exit, around 11:30, crowds of tourists began to arrive, there were many Russian-speaking groups.

Watch a short video from this amazing place 😎

Immediately, local merchants had already set up their stalls with souvenirs. By the way, you can buy souvenirs inexpensively here. Much cheaper than Cancun. They sell a lot of interesting masks here, which we never saw anywhere else during our further trip to Mexico. Later we regretted that we had not bought any souvenirs near Chichen Itza. If you need souvenirs, buy them here and be sure to bargain!

Souvenirs in Chichen Itza for every taste and cheaper than in Cancun

You can spend the night near the Chichen Itza complex in one of the hotels. Choose to your taste and enjoy your vacation 😎 At the same time, you will be able to visit the archaeological complex of Chichen Itza twice: during the day, see the sights, and in the evening come to watch the evening light and music show, for which you do not need to buy a separate ticket, the cost is already included in day tickets.

And two simpler hotels (3 stars):

We didn’t spend the night near the Chichen Itza pyramids, but moved on; an interesting, rich program lay ahead of us, so subscribe to the site’s newsletter to receive notifications about new blog articles! 😎

You should definitely plan a visit to Chichen Itza, a Mayan city located in Yucatan. The culture of the ancient people, which left only mysteries after its disappearance, has always attracted a large number of tourists, so there are always many visitors here.

In this article you will find out what attractions make Chichen Itza considered the seventh wonder of the world, and where it is located.

How to get to Chichen Itza?

The ruins of the ancient Mayan city are located only about 180-200 km from Cancun, the capital of Yucatan. From there, you can reach Chichen Itza in 2.5 hours by car, taking the toll highway 180D or the toll road 180.

Attractions of Chichen Itza

The pyramids of Chichen Itza, discovered through archaeological excavations, are the second most popular tourist attraction in Mexico and have been recognized by UNESCO as a world-class site. cultural heritage.

Kukulkan at Chichen Itza

This main 30-meter pyramid, located right in the center of the ancient city, is also called El Castillo. It consists of 9 platforms, four staircases of 91 steps, directed to all cardinal directions, and at its base lies a square with a side of 55.5 m. It is believed that this pyramid was a kind of calendar for the Mayan people. It received its name Kukulkan because twice a year, on the days of the equinox, the sun falls so that it seems as if a snake is crawling down the steps.

Temple of the Warriors, Chichen Itza

To the west of the pyramid is the Temple of the Warriors, which consists of four platforms and is surrounded on three sides by differently shaped stone columns carved in the shape of Toltec warriors, called the Thousand Column Group. On the upper platform of the temple there is a sculpture of a reclining man, called the rain god Chaak-Mool. For what purpose this was done is still unknown.

Sacred Cenote

To the north of the central pyramid is the largest and most famous natural well with a diameter of 60 m and a depth of 50. Due to the fact that the Mayan priests used it for sacrifices (they threw valuable gifts and even people into it), it was called the “Well of Death”.

Ball fields

In total, there are 9 sites in the city for bloodthirsty South American football (the essence of the game was to throw the ball into a hoop at a height). The largest of them is located in the northern part of the city in the west. Its dimensions are approximately 160 m x 70 m, and the height of the surrounding walls is 8 m, they are painted with scenes of violence against losing players.

Temple of the Great Priest

This is another pyramid, but smaller, that was of great importance to the Mayans. The Osario, or cemetery, looks almost identical to El Castillo. The difference lies in the passage into the underground cave where the burials were found.

Not far from the ancient city of Chichen Itza is the underground lake Ik-Kil, which is the most visited and impressive in all of Mexico. Because of its great popularity, a hotel was built nearby for tourists who want to swim in the clear waters of the underground lake accompanied by the wonderful singing of birds living in the branches and roots of the trees growing above.

In order not to get lost in the territory of the Mayan pyramid city of Chichen Itza, organized excursions are held here.

The beauty of Chichen Itza does not leave any visitor indifferent.

No one knows why one of the most developed Mayan cities, Chichen Itza, was deserted in the twelfth century: the policy of the Spanish conquistadors was aimed at the complete destruction of paganism, providing for the burning of manuscripts and the murder of priests who might have been able to tell something about the mysterious past of their people. So the memory of this amazing city Mexico has reached us only in stones.

Chichen Itza on the map is located in Mexico, 120 km southeast of Merida, the capital of the Yucatan Peninsula, and is currently not only one of the most famous cities Mayan period, but not without reason it is considered a new wonder of the world.

Previously, this settlement was called differently - “Uukil-abnal” (“Seven Bushes”). Chichen Itza received its current name a little later, when the fame of the well in which sacrifices were carried out spread throughout the surrounding areas, as a result of which the city was renamed “Well of the Itza Tribe”: “chi” meant “mouth”, “chen” - “well” " and "itsa" - this was the name of one of the Mayan tribes that founded the settlement.

The city of Chichen Itza was quite large at that time: its area was about 10 square meters. km. Despite the fact that only ruins remain of most of the buildings, some structures (mostly of a religious nature) have been preserved well and are of great interest not only to scientists and researchers, but also to many inhabitants of our planet.

Researchers divide the life of this amazing wonder of the world in Mexico into two stages.

Mayan culture period (VI-VII centuries)

Uukil-abnal was founded by representatives of the Mayan tribe, who arrived on the peninsula from the south of the continent, according to one version in the middle of the 5th century, according to another - two centuries later. Since the Mayans were very well versed in astronomy, Chichen Itza was built taking into account the position of various astronomical bodies in the sky, which played an important role in their beliefs and traditions (and for this purpose they even built an observatory in the city).

Residents of the city were considered excellent craftsmen and skilled artists (as evidenced by the found sculptures of gods, various crafts, as well as bas-reliefs with floral and geometric patterns).

Toltec period (X-XI centuries)

In the tenth century, Chichen Itza came under the rule of the Toltecs (one of the tribes of the Uto-Aztecan linguistic group), as a result of which the number of inhabitants increased sharply, presumably to 20-30 thousand people.

The culture of this people could not but influence both the architecture of the city and its religion: the Toltecs practiced frequent human sacrifices, an example of which is the well, at the bottom of which a huge number of human remains were found, mainly men and children.

However, the Toltecs did not stay here long: they left the city after the defeat of their army in 1178. And fourteen years later, Chichen Itza was completely abandoned by the inhabitants, began to collapse, and by the time the Spaniards appeared in Mexico, only ruins remained from it.

Acoustics of Chichen Itza

All buildings in Chichen Itze are located in such a way that they create an amazing acoustic effect, amplifying the sound many times over. This is especially noticeable in the stadium of the ancient Toltecs: if people who were in temples located on opposite sides of the field wanted to talk to each other, they could calmly do so without fear that anyone would hear them (of course, if they were not standing next to )!



This “telephone” effect was discovered by chance and what knowledge should have been possessed local residents To achieve it, scientists are not yet able to explain.

The most remarkable Mayan buildings

All the main structures of Chichen Itza are located on the very large area, in the center of which the temple of the main deity of the city, Kukulkan, was erected.

Pyramid

The most remarkable building of Chichen Itza is the famous pyramid of Kukulkan, the feathered serpent, the supreme god of winds and rains. It was erected on the foundation of an earlier structure. The height of the pyramid is 30 meters, the length of each side is 55 m. Each side of the pyramid is oriented towards one of the cardinal directions.

The pyramid has nine tiers. At the top there is a temple 6 meters high - sacrifices were made on it. You can climb to the temple by one of four staircases, each of which widens upward, creating the optical illusion of a completely flat staircase.



These stairs divide each side of the pyramid in two - thus, the number of tiers on each side is eighteen in total (that is how many months the Mayan calendar year has). Each staircase has 91 steps. Scientists have noticed: if their number is multiplied by the number of stairs and the top floor is added, it turns out 365 - that’s exactly how many days a calendar year has.

This pyramid is notable for the fact that during the spring and autumn equinoxes, the god himself, Kukulkan, crawls along it, thereby showing people a real miracle. fall on one of the sides of the Kukulcan temple so that, thanks to the play of light and shadow, seven equilateral triangles appear on it. These shapes form the body huge snake 37 m long, which, as the sun moves, crawls down the pyramid to its head, located at the base of the stairs. You can watch the movement of this wonder of the world for 3 hours and 22 minutes.

Inside the pyramid, archaeologists found several secret rooms, one of which contained a throne carved from stone in the shape of a jaguar, painted orange (Jaguar Mat).

The eyes and spots of the beast are made of jade, and the claws of the ancient craftsmen were carved from volcanic stone. Here a figure was discovered, which archaeologists later named Chak Mool.



It depicts a man holding a dish with gifts intended for the gods, and is located opposite the door leading to the Temple of the Warriors and, judging by the deciphered records, was a symbol of Chichen Itza.

Temple of Warriors

The Temple of Warriors is located on the western side central square and was erected on a low four-tier pyramid, the base of which was 40 x 40 m. On the walls of the temple you can see images of sacred animals carved from stone, and it is crowned by the figure of the main god of the city, Kukulkan.

Inside the structure there are several spacious halls, and the entrance is decorated with massive columns in the shape of snakes, the heads of which are located below and the tails point to the sky. Behind the snakes are four giants (Atlas), holding a stone altar.

Colonnades

Near the Temple of Warriors you can see a platform with four rows of columns, each of which is three meters long. Each column is decorated with carved images of Indian warriors (because of this, the nearby temple got its name). According to some scientists, in earlier times a reed roof was installed on these pillars, under which the city’s bazaar was located.

Karakol Observatory

Chichen Itza had its own observatory - a round building rising on a double stone platform with small windows through which the priests were able to observe. Inside the observatory there is a spiral staircase resembling a shell, which is why the building got its name (“Karakol” means “snail”).

Ball courts

In the ancient city there were about 12 courts intended for playing ball (pot-ta-pok). The largest of them was built no later than 864 AD, was 135 m long, 68 m wide, and the height of its walls was 12 meters (while the rings where the Mayans had to throw the ball were fixed at a level of eight meters). On each side of the stadium there were four temples, each of which was oriented towards a certain side of the world.

The Indians played with a rubber ball weighing about four kilograms - they could hit it with a stone bat, and touch it with any part of the body except arms and legs. This game was hard, cruel, lasted several hours (the rings were located high enough to be easily hit) and ended with sacrifices: the captain of the losing team was beheaded right in the stadium, sacrificing to the Sun God.

How the entire process of the game took place can be judged by the scenes carved into the bas-reliefs of the stadium (for example, here you can see a beheaded player, near whom his executioner raises his severed head).

Well

Another attraction for which Chichen Itza became famous and in honor of which the city received its name is a natural well about 50 meters deep that was used for sacrifices. You can get to it along a three-hundred-meter paved road, the width of which is ten meters.



The well is amazing in its size:

• The diameter of the well is 60 meters;
• Depth - 82 meters;
• The water begins at a depth of 20 meters from the edge.

This well was sacred: people were thrown into it. Despite the fact that in earlier times it was believed that this fate befell the young beautiful girls, divers, having descended to the bottom, refuted this hypothesis, lifting from the bottom about 50 skeletons, belonging mainly to men and children. Why exactly they were sacrificed - Chichen Itza still reliably keeps this secret.

Chichen Itza. What is worth seeing in Chichen Itza. When is the best time to go to Chichen Itza? How to get to Chichen Itza

Chichen Itza - the mysterious world of the Mayans!

Chichen Itza (Chichen Itza) - the mysteries of the ancient Mayans!

(to know Full description programs and costs can be found at the contacts at the bottom of the article)

One of the most popular and super-visited historical sites in Mexico - Chichen Itza, is located in relative proximity (200 km) to the equally popular beach resort Cancun. Ancient Mayan city Chichen Itza has long been recognized by UNESCO as a world cultural heritage site. Chichen Itza is the second most popular place among tourists from all over the world where archaeological excavations available for visiting. Chichen Itza is one of the recognized new seven wonders of the world!

Chichen Itza - restored Mayan city

Chichen Itza is an ancient Mayan settlement located in the state of Yucatan, 120 kilometers from Merida (the state capital) and almost 200 kilometers from Cancun (state of Quintana Roo). From the Mayan language, Chichen Itza is literally translated as the well of the Mayan people (more precisely, one of the many Mayan tribes). Indeed, on the territory of the Chichen Itza archaeological park at the end of the 19th century, the same ritual cenote was discovered, which gave the world a lot of artifacts and interesting things of the Indians who inhabited these places in the past. Unfortunately, many of these cultural units remained forever lost to the owner of the heritage - Mexico. The Chichen Itza Archaeological Park is located on 6 square kilometers and is protected and studied UNESCO object. On the territory of this park there is a whole ensemble of former architecture:

1. Pyramid of Kukulkan (El Castillo)

2. Sacred Cenote

3. Temple of the Jaguar (Temple de Jaguaras)

4. Platform of the Jaguaras and Eagles

5. Platform of Venus

6. Great Ball Court

7. Temple of the Warriors

8. Group of the One Thousand

9. Karakol Observatory

Pyramid of Kukulcan

Pyramid of Kukulcan is the most popular structure in the Chichen Itza Archaeological Park. Many thousands of photographs of tourists were taken against the backdrop of this nine-tiered pyramid with four wide staircases in 4 cardinal directions, a priest’s platform at the top and a bas-relief ensemble at the foot. Four staircases lead to the temple on the priest's platform, and the entrance to it is decorated with the mask of the rain god Chaak. The traditions performed during the construction of the Kukulkan pyramid reveal the ancients’ commitment to numerology. Thus, the total number of steps on each of the stairs of the pyramid adds up to 364, and one more, the common 365th step, is located at the top - it is common to all sides. The 9 tiers consist of 52 panels on each side. 52 is the number of years in one cycle of the Mayan calendar. ()

Pyramid at Chichen Itza. Until 2006, the pyramid was accessible for climbing.

Descending Serpent Kukulkan

A notable feature of this temple structure is its precise geographical position relative to the cardinal directions and strict geometric shapes. Yes, twice a year March 20 and September 21 on the days of the autumn and spring equinoxes occurs "the descent of the feathered serpent"- the visual appearance of the jagged body of a mystical deity in the form of a shadow cast by the geometric curves of the pyramid shapes. A chain of seven isosceles triangles and a stone head at the foot of Kukulkan causes indescribable delight among tourists coming here from all over the world!

The descent of the shadow of the serpent in Chichen Itza is visible only on the days of the equinox

Temple of a Thousand Columns

To the east of the Kukulcan pyramid is the temple colonnade (Group of a Thousand Columns) - part of a large archaeological complex that includes "Temple of Warriors", ancient market and Temazcal ritual bath.

Colonnade at Chichen Itza

Indian football Pok ta Pok

On the opposite side there is a stadium for playing ball - the Indian analogue of football - "Pok-ta-Pok". This is the largest ball stadium in Yucatan. Its length is 166 meters and its width is 68 meters. The height of the walls on which the spectators were located on both sides was 12 meters, and at a height of 8 meters there were rings into which the ball had to be kicked. Judging by the ensemble of bas-reliefs on the walls of this “football” field, the game was quite fierce. Not only did the rubber ball itself weigh no less than 4 kg and it was allowed to hit it with the shoulders, elbows and hips, but victory and subsequent death for it was a matter of honor for the ancient Mayans. These same bas-reliefs talk about the honor of dying from a blade in the heart of the captain of the winning team. The game was quite popular both among the nobility and among the common population.

Ring for Pok-Ta-Pok

Bas-relief. Mexico. Chichen Itza.

Pok-ta-Pok ball ring in Chichen Itza. Mexico.

Temple of the Jaguar

To the side of the playing field are the ruins of a jaguar temple. Here is a bas-relief image of a pair of intertwined snakes, jaguars that run in different directions and three symbols of war and resistance - shields! ()

Bas-relief. Chichen Itza. Mexico Bas-relief. A severed head in the hands of a priest.

Warrior Temple of Chichen Itza

The temple of warriors located near the temple of the jaguar attracts tourists with a figurine of a deity familiar from advertising brochures. Chuck Mol. He was traditionally depicted in a reclining position with a ritual tray or thicket on his stomach. The temple is not accessible to entry, but from behind the fence you can easily see the facades of two buildings with bas-relief images of sacred jaguars, the feathered serpent Kukulkan and the deity Chaak with a long nose curved downwards.

Chuck Mol

Ritual cenote in Chichen Itza

Statue of the deity Chac Mol in Chichen Itza

Market in Chichen Itza

The market square, which is a row of columns, the Temazcal Indian bathhouse with a preserved dressing room with columns and a steam room is another part of the architectural park worthy of a visit.

Observatory at Chichen Itza

The southern part of Chichen Itza is interesting for its unique object - the observatory "Shell" or "Karakol". Surprising is the fact that special holes were made in the dome of the observatory through which you can observe the trajectory of celestial bodies and objects.

Souvenirs in Chichen Itza

A must-visit place is a small alley lined with souvenir sellers. At the end of this alley there is a sacred sacrificial cenote 250 meters deep and up to 65 meters in diameter. The cenote became a place final resting place for many thousands of sacrifices made to the rain god. Along with the remains of victims, at the beginning of the 20th century, gold and emeralds, which were of no value to the ancient Mayans, were recovered from the bottom.

View of the observatory and the Kukulkan pyramid. 1995 There are a lot of people at the entrance, just as we are finishing our program in Chichen Itza!

Friends! If you have any questions - don't hesitate! - ask them in the comments below or write to me on social networks!

The history of Central America knows several civilizations. But it was the Mayan culture that always attracted me. First of all, I was interested in how this civilization, which knew neither the wheel nor the iron, was able to achieve such a level of development of the exact sciences, primarily mathematics and astronomy. And what structures did they leave behind? Therefore, when the opportunity for another trip arose, I without hesitation chose Mexico, the country where Chichen Itza, the iconic Mayan city, the photo of which became business card Central.

History of Chichen Itza, an ancient Mayan city

The first question that interests every traveler who finds himself in this mysterious place is what ancient people built the city of Chichen Itza and when this happened. The city was founded in V-VI centuries by the Itza people, one of the tribes of the Mayan civilization. At this time, a stage began in the history of Chichen Itza, which in the pre-Columbian period is identified with the Mayan period. The city was one of the most important cultural centers and flourished until the end of the 7th century, after which it fell into relative decline.

In the 10th century, Chichen Itza conquered by the Toltec tribes and by the middle of the 11th century it became the capital of their state. In the 12th century, as a result of a conflict with neighboring city-states, the city was subjected to serious destruction, but after that it existed and even developed for some time. At the end of the 13th century, for unknown reasons, the city fell into decay and was completely abandoned by people. At the time of the invasion of the Spanish conquerors in the 15th-16th centuries, Chichen Itza was already completely abandoned and partially lies in ruins.

Since the conquistadors showed no interest in the history of the local peoples, even trying to destroy traces of their ancient civilizations, no one was interested in the abandoned city for a long time.

Only in the 19th century, in the wake of national liberation movements, as well as increased interest in science, the abandoned city attracted attention. At first, a few private researchers, adventurers and fans of occult sciences became interested in it. Then Chichen Itza began to attract tourists and artists. And only in the middle of the 20th century a unique city became interested at the official level, and the Mexican government decided to partially restore the original appearance of Chichen Itza in order to attract tourists.

Main attractions

When you are lucky enough to visit this mysterious city, pay attention to the following attractions:

Pyramid of Kukulcan in the city of Chichen Itza. Grandiose building, which had both ritual and astronomical significance. Dedicated to Kukulkan, a deity in the form of a feathered serpent with a human head, the patron of rain and wind. The pyramid is identified not only with Chichen Itza and, but, perhaps, with all pre-Columbian civilizations of Central America.

It consists of nine steps, which are divided by stairs on each side of the pyramid into two parts, which gives purely 18 - the number of days in a month in the Mayan calendar. Each of the four staircases consists of 91 steps, i.e. in total 364, and in combination with the upper platform 365 - the number of days in a year. The edges of the pyramid are located strictly according to the cardinal points, and each has 52 relief images, which corresponds to the number of years in the Mayan calendar cycle. At the foot of the northern staircase, a stone head of a snake is carved in such a way that the railing of the stairs is the body of the snake.

An interesting effect is observed on the days of the spring and autumn equinox. The shadow from the edge of the pyramid falls on the railing of the stairs in such a way that the illusion of the movement of a giant snake is created. At the top of the pyramid is the sanctuary of Kukulkan itself.

Not so long ago, scientists discovered another, more ancient pyramid under the pyramid of Kukulkan. It also has nine tiers, and inside it was stored main symbol Mayan rulers - a stone throne known as the Jaguar Mat.

Since 2006, climbing the pyramid is prohibited, and the traveler can only be content with contemplation up close, which, believe me, is not so little.

Other attractions in Chichen Itza

• Temple of the Mayan Warriors in Chichen Itza. A structure located on a four-stage pyramid. The railing of the central staircase is crowned with stone human figures. At the top is the temple itself, at the entrance to which there are two columns in the form of snakes, images of Kukulkan. Near the temple there are four rows of columns with images of warriors.
• Observatory. A round dome mounted on a square platform. Interestingly, the windows are positioned in such a way that they correspond to the position celestial bodies relative to the ground.
• Ball field. The area measures 168x70 m, surrounded by a high (up to 8 m) wall. High on the wall was a stone ring into which players had to throw a rubber ball. The base of the walls is decorated with images of human sacrifices. Moreover, many researchers are inclined to believe that these are players of the losing team.
• Temple of the Jaguar. Located on the east side of the ball field. It got its name because of the many images of a jaguar on its facade. Perhaps the priests watched the ball game from here.
• Temple of the Bearded Man. Located north of the ball field. A relief depicting a man with a beard was discovered inside the temple, which was the reason for its name.
• Sacred Cenote, or Well of Death. A natural karst depression with a diameter of up to 60 m and a depth of up to 50 m. Served for dumping the bodies of people sacrificed.
• Group of a Thousand Columns. Ruins of columns that form a giant rectangle.
• Pyramid Tomb of the High Priest. A ten-meter pyramid, on top of which there is a platform with tombstones. Perhaps it served as a burial place for nobles or Mayan spiritual leaders, which is where it got its name.

Mayan Warrior Temple

How to get there

You can get to the Chichen Itza complex:

• from Merida, the journey by bus will take less than two hours and cost 12 dollars (first class) or 6.5 dollars (second class);
• from Cancun, by bus for 2.5 hours and 16 dollars (first class) or 12 dollars (second class);

The most mysterious places on Earth: Maya. Chichen Itza - video

How did the Mayans create such an advanced culture, what did they predict for our civilization, and why do thousands of people seeking spiritual enlightenment lay siege to these ruins every year? Can modern rituals reveal the secrets of Chichen Itza? You will learn about this by watching the video. Enjoy watching!

• In 2007, the “New Seven Wonders of the World” competition was held, according to the results of which the pyramids and the city of Chichen Itza itself in Mexico became finalists of the project.
• UNESCO has recognized the Chichen Itza complex as an object of material and cultural heritage of humanity.

Staying in the mysterious city of Chichen Itza leaves ambivalent feelings. On the one hand, you understand that you have touched a huge and incompletely studied layer of history. On the other hand, the ubiquitous images and stories of guides about human sacrifices carried out here are somewhat depressing.

Friends, who has any impressions from visiting this place? I look forward to your messages in the comments.