Ancient city of Chichen Itza- Mayan heritage; most ancient city on the Yucatan Peninsula. Located 120 km from the regional capital - the city of Merida, and 205 km from popular resort Cancun. Probably everyone who has ever been to Mexico wanted to see the remains of this ancient settlement, which is ranked among the new wonders of the world. Chichen Itza is included in the version of our site.
This is a special place where the Mayan Indians once lived and worshiped their gods. For unknown reasons, they were forced to leave the city, which later became the prey of conquerors: first the Toltecs, and then the Spaniards. In the Mayan language, the sonorous name of the settlement was translated as “The mouth of the well of the Itza tribe.” It is no coincidence that the word “well” appears in this phrase, because 13 cenotes, so-called natural wells, were dug on the territory of the city.
By the way, one of these wells, the “Sacred Cenote,” served for sacrifices to the God of Water. On the territory of the deserted settlement, the famous Temple of Kukulkan, with which much symbolism is associated, has also been preserved. This is a pyramidal structure, on top of which stands a temple for sacrifices. Visitors are prohibited from going up to the temple. There are 4 wide staircases leading up, each of which consists of 91 steps.
If you multiply the number of stairs by the number of steps and add one to the resulting number, you get the number 365, that is, exactly the number of days in a year. In addition, every year on the days of the spring and autumn equinox, an unforgettable show takes place on the stairs of the pyramid. At about 3 p.m., the sun illuminates the main staircase so that shadows appear in the form of triangles, folding into the tail of a snake. Because of this, Kukulcan is sometimes called the Pyramid of the Feathered Serpent. In the evenings in Chichen Itza you can see the same artificially created light show.
Many tourists linger on the huge court, created for brutal ball games. The ancient Mayan ball was so heavy that it could only be hit with the thigh. Well, as expected, every game ended with a sacrifice. According to chronology, the city was founded perhaps in the 7th century AD. as a religious center for a Mexican tribe. Today, the remains of the buildings are conventionally divided into two parts: old and new. The most significant buildings are located in the new central part. At the entrance to the complex there are souvenir shops and cafes.
The most convenient way to get to the ruins is by bus from Merida or Cancun. You can also drive to Chichen Itza with a rental car. The route runs along both a toll (shorter) and free road.
(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 sites are accessible to the public. Chichen Itza- 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 Kukulcan (El Castillo)2. Sacred Cenote3. Temple of the Jaguar (Temple de Jaguaras)4. Platform of the Jaguaras and Eagles5. Platform of Venus6. Great Ball Court7. Temple of the Warriors8. Group of the One Thousand9. 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. So, total The steps on each of the stairs of the pyramid add 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 "descent of the feathered serpent"- the visual appearance of the jagged body of the mystical deity in the form of a shadow cast by the geometric curves of the pyramid shapes. A chain of seven isosceles triangles and stone head at the foot of Kukulkan - causes indescribable delight among tourists arriving in the ancient city of Chichen Itza from all over the world!
The descent of the shadow of the serpent in Chichen Itza is visible only on the days of the equinoxTemple 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.
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! ()
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.
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-see place in the ancient Mayan city of Chichen Itza 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 the 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.
We answer the most frequently asked questions from tourists on Yandex before heading to Mexico! I apologize for the correctness of writing the questions - the statistics were taken from search sites) But the preferences, fears and expectations of the future lucky ones are immediately visible resort holiday on the Caribbean coast of Mexico!
Questions and answers:
1. How to get to Chichen Itza? How many kilometers to Chichen Itza? What state is Chichen Itza located in?
Answer: The ancient city of Chichen Itza and the Kukulkan pyramid can be reached with a tour (this is the most convenient way), as well as by intercity bus With bus station ADO and in a rented car. Chichen Itza can be reached from Cancun via 3 federal highways. Distance 180-200 km. Chichen Itza is located in the state of Yucatan. Cancun is located in the state of Quintana Ru.
Chichen Itza is the most famous ancient city in Yucatan. Its status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and inclusion in the New Seven Wonders of the World has sparked a surge in tourist interest, and the site is now the second most visited archaeological site in Mexico. An estimated 1.2 million tourists visit the ruins every year. Despite the massive influx of visitors, Chichen Itza continues to impress even the most jaded tourists. A walk among stone temples, pyramids, and ball fields gives you the opportunity to truly feel the grandeur of the ancient city.
The legendary ruins of Chichen Itza are among the best preserved archaeological sites in Mexico. Despite this, much of what is written and said about this city is based on guesses and assumptions. We can say with one hundred percent confidence that people occupied this place in the 4th century; the urban community emerged with the construction of the first temple in the 7th century; the city came under Toltec rule in the 10th century.
In subsequent centuries, Chichen Itza reached the pinnacle of prosperity and became the most powerful city on the Yucatan Peninsula. Most of grandiose structures were built during this period.
At the end of the 12th century, the city lost political power, gradually began to decline and was abandoned. The inhabitants of Chichen Itza left behind an impressive architectural and scientific legacy, but left no known record of why they left their homes. The built monuments began to gradually collapse and became overgrown with jungle, but archaeologists rediscovered them to the world in the 1920s. The ancient buildings were cleaned and reconstructed, and the archaeological complex began to attract tourists.
Chichen Itza consists of two parts: the central (new) zone and the southern (old) zone. The most important structures are located in the new zone.
El Castillo
When the Toltecs came to Chichen Itza, they combined their knowledge of cosmology with the Mayans, resulting in the Pyramid of El Castillo (also called the Pyramid of Kukulcan). Dedicated to Kukulcan, the god of wind and rain in the form of a feathered serpent with a human head, El Castillo is one of the most famous and visited pre-Columbian structures in modern Mexico. Built a thousand years ago using the simplest tools, El Castillo is considered the most important symbol of Chichen Itza. In 2007, the monument was included in the list of the New Seven Wonders of the World.
The architecture of El Castillo is filled with symbolism. Many secrets of the Mayan astronomical calendar become clear when you delve into the essence of the architecture of the Temple of Time. The four staircases leading to the central platform have 91 steps each, for a total of 364, corresponding to the number of days in a year. The platform at the top of the temple combines 4 staircases together, resulting in the number 365, which corresponds to the number of days in a leap year. There are 18 terraces on each side of the pyramid (9 on each side of the steps), which is equal to the number of months in the Mayan solar calendar.
The Mayan calendar consisted of two parallel cycles: the civil 365-day shiupoualli and the ritual 260-day tonalpohualli. Shiupoualli and Tonalpohualli coincided every 52 years.
There are 52 stone reliefs on each of the four sides of the El Castillo pyramid. They represent the coincidence of these two cycles once every 52 years.
The El Castillo pyramid attracts especially many visitors during the autumn and spring equinoxes. During sunset, the shadow from the corner of the stepped terraces of the pyramid falls on the balustrade of the steps on the north side (see photo). It seems that the Feathered Serpent is slowly descending to the ground. The illusion is almost as noticeable a week before and after the spring and autumn equinoxes.
The Mayans often built new pyramid temples on top of previous ones. After several unsuccessful attempts, archaeologists managed to discover a tunnel leading to the premises of an earlier temple. Here they discovered the figure of Chak-Mool and a throne in the shape of a jaguar.
Mexico's National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH), which manages the archaeological site of Chichen Itza, banned climbing El Castillo in 2006. At the same time, public access to the inner hall was closed for more than ancient temple. Visitors can still walk around the monument, but climbing up or going inside is prohibited.
Main ball court
Chichen Itza has nine ball game courts. The largest of them, Juego de Pelota (pictured), is located northwest of El Castillo. It is the largest and best preserved ball court of any similar field in Mesoamerica (168 m long, 70 m wide). During the game, players attempted to throw a heavy rubber ball into a stone hoop set high in the wall. The acoustics of the ball field are so good that a conversation on one side can be clearly heard on the opposite end.
The games were colorful spectacles, and participation in them ended in sacrifice for some of its participants. An interesting detail: the researchers are not sure whether the players of the losing team were sacrificed. On the wall of the ball court there is an image of a headless player on his knees, blood flowing from his neck and turning into snakes, another player holding his head in his hands. Other images on the walls show players' equipment.
To the right of the ball field is the Tzompantli (Temple of Skulls). The name comes from the images of a row of skulls carved on a stone platform. When the victim was beheaded, the head was impaled on a pole and displayed in a row, one after the other.
Temple of Warriors
East of El Castillo is another famous structure of Chichen Itza: the Templo de los Guerreros (Temple of the Warriors). The temple consists of four platforms, surrounded on three sides by round and square pillars. The square columns are carved in the shape of Toltec warriors, hence the name Temple of the Warriors. During the recent restoration, some of the columns were restored and placed in their original place. At the top of the Temple of Warriors there is a sculpture of Chaak-Mool in the form of a reclining man; the meaning of this figure is unknown to researchers.
El Karakol (Observatory)
The observatory is another famous attraction of Chichen Itza. The Spanish word El Caracol means "spiral staircase" (there is a spiral staircase inside). The round vault of El Karakol was built and rebuilt several times during the entire period of operation of the Observatory. Through holes in the walls of the tower, Mayan astronomers observed the movements of Venus, the Sun, the Moon and other celestial bodies, calculated the spring and autumn equinoxes, and the summer solstice. The Mayan astronomical skills even helped predict solar eclipses.
Sacred Cenote
The Yucatan Peninsula is a limestone plain without rivers or streams. The only source fresh water served as cenotes (karst sinkholes or wells) in which groundwater came to the surface. Cenotes are scattered throughout the Yucatan Peninsula, but the Sacred Cenote of Chichen Itza (Cenote Sagrado) was the most important to the Mayans. It is a 5-7 minute walk from El Castillo.
The sacred cenote was used for ceremonial purposes: offerings were thrown here and human sacrifices were performed. It was believed that the god of lightning, water and rain Chak lives at the bottom of the Sacred Cenote, in order to appease him, a person was deprived of life.
Harvard University professor and American consul in Merida (Merida is the administrative center of the Yucatan) Herbert Thompson explored the Sacred Cenote from 1904 to 1910 and recovered from there numerous objects made of gold, jade, ceramics, obsidian, rubber, as well as the remains of human bodies. Most of the discovered treasures ended up in the Peabody Museum of Archeology and Ethnology (a museum at Harvard University). None of the objects discovered were made from materials mined in the Yucatan, meaning the Mayans traveled to Chichen Itza from other places in Central America for worship and sacrifice.
Osario
Osario means “cemetery” in Spanish. Like El Castillo, it is a step pyramid with a temple on top, but on a smaller scale. Like its larger neighbor, it has four sides with stairs on each side. But unlike El Castillo, there is a pyramid hole in the center leading to a cave 12 meters deep below ground level. Herbert Thompson excavated this cave in the late 19th century, found several skeletons and artifacts, and named it the Tomb of the High Priest (Tumba del Gran Sacerdote). Since then it has had two names.
Interesting places near Chichen Itza
Cenote Ik Kil
Cenote Ik Kil is located less than 3 km from Chichen Itza. The cenote looks unusually spectacular, tropical vegetation and tree roots stretch from above to the very surface of the water. Tours to Chichen Itza often include a visit to Ik Kil. These tours are the main source of income for the Ik Kil Archaeological Park. A staircase leading down to the bathing platform is carved into the karst rock. The cenote is open for swimming from 08:00 am to 18:00 pm every day. It is best to swim before 11:30, before the influx of tourists. Tourists have a cottage, a restaurant, a souvenir shop, and changing rooms at their disposal.
In 2010 and 2011, Ik Kil hosted the next stage of the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series - a series of acrobatic diving competitions that gained wide popularity around the world thanks to the spectacular diving sites and the skill of the participants.
Balancancha Cave
Balankanché Cave is located 5.5 km from Chichen Itza on the road to Cancun. The entire excursion takes about half an hour. A small underground river flows in the middle of the cave, but its main attraction is the column in the center, reminiscent of a large tree. Outside, you can wander around the botanical garden and look at plants that are exotic to us.
Chichen Itza – useful information
The territory of the archaeological complex is oversaturated with small commerce; many sellers attract the attention of visitors with the words “only 1 dollar” or “only 1 peso”. Please note that this is not the cost of the items they sell. As soon as you want to buy something for “only 1 dollar”, they will popularly explain to you that the discount is 1 dollar or 1 pesos and they will start bargaining further. Feel free to leave, they will follow you and offer to commit bargain purchase. This is Mexico, this is par for the course here.
The inclusion of Chichen Itza among the New Seven Wonders of the World in 2007 caused a surge of interest and now the archaeological complex is literally flooded with tourists. To better appreciate the magic of the ancient city, you need to arrive at the opening time at 8 am. Then you will have about 3 hours before the massive influx of tourists from Cancun begins.
Especially many tourists visit Chichen Itza on the days of the spring and autumn equinox, in order to see the shadow of the “living serpent” on the El Castillo pyramid in the afternoon. This illusion is almost as visible a week before and after the spring and autumn equinoxes, but there are noticeably fewer tourists.
Carry cash in pesos, as changing currency here is quite problematic, especially on weekends.
Light and sound show. After visiting the ruins during the day, you can return back and with the same tickets attend the night Light and Sound Show. The show lasts about an hour and is accompanied by a story about the history of the ancient city. The story is in Spanish, but for an additional fee you can listen to the translation using headphones. Another option is to arrive at the complex in the afternoon, see the Light and Sound Show, and visit the ruins the next day - visiting the archaeological complex on the first evening gives a discount for the next day, so the price of visiting will be almost the same.
Most tourists visit Chichen Itza from Cancun, a popular Mexican resort (2.5 hours drive), and Merida, the capital of Yucatan (1.5 hours drive). It is advisable to avoid a day visit to Chichen Itza and plan to spend one night here at a nearby hotel. If you stay overnight, you will have the opportunity to watch the Sound and Light Show in the evening, and visit the archaeological complex in the morning, when it is not so hot and there are practically no tourists. Chichen Itza is a huge archaeological complex. If you take a day trip from Cancun, the time allotted will not be enough to truly appreciate this place.
At the entrance to the territory of the archaeological complex there is a museum, a restaurant, a bookstore, and English- and Spanish-speaking guides are available to tourists.
Video about Chichen Itza
In the north of the Mexican Yucatan, the largest center of the Mayan people was once located - Chichen Itza. The city, roughly translated as “The Mouth of the Well of the Itza Tribe,” was founded in the 7th century AD. In the 10th century, the Toltec army captured this city-state and formed its capital here. In 1178, the city was captured by neighboring city-states, and from 1194 it fell into complete desolation. No one can now say what caused the residents to leave. The Spaniards who came here in the 16th century only came across the ruins of Chichen Itza.
Excavations carried out in our time on the site of this ancient city have made it possible to find many interesting architectural monuments from the culture of that time. One of the most famous was the Temple of Kukulkan, which is a 9-step pyramid. Another interesting structure is the Temple of Warriors on a 4-step pyramid, decorated with paintings. Stadiums for brutal ball games, a 50-meter well for sacrifices, a sacred cenote, and an observatory with statues of local gods were also discovered.
Ball ring at the stadium
Interestingly, the land with these structures was in private hands until 2010. But competent actions of the government allowed it to be returned to the state for $17.8 million. The ancient Mayan city is very popular among tourists. A monument of this scale, of course, was taken under the control of UNESCO. And in 2007, it was awarded the title of one of the new wonders of the world.
Temple of Kukulcan at Chichen Itza
The main interesting architectural buildings in Chichen Itza were built during the so-called Mexican period - the time after the Toltecs captured the city. It was then built main temple Mayan city - Temple of Kukulkan. The temple was dedicated to the Toltec god Kukulkan, whom they called the Feathered Serpent.
The temple, due to its expressiveness and popularity, has become a symbol of all of Mexico. This 24-meter nine-step pyramid has been seen by every inhabitant of our planet at least once in his life.
The building has a square plan and a massive appearance. It is not surprising that the Spaniards who came here called it a castle. The temple is set on a huge terrace (18 hectares) along with many other famous structures of Chichen Itzi. On the right is the temple of the Warriors, on the left is the temple of the Jaguars.
Four staircases, oriented according to the cardinal directions, lead to the top of the temple. The stairs are accompanied by a balustrade starting from a snake's head. On the days of the equinox, the lighting creates an interesting effect: it seems as if the Kukulcan Serpent is beginning to crawl out of its lair.
Snake Head
In addition to its orientation to the cardinal points, the temple is also distinguished by other astronomical details. Each staircase has 91 steps, which gives a total of 364. And if we add the upper platform to this number, we get the total number of days in the year - 365. The nine main steps of the pyramid are separated by a staircase, which actually doubles them to 18. With the number 18 is associated with the number of months in a year among the Mayans. Each wall depicts 52 reliefs - the number of years in the calendar cycle.
At the top of this large pyramid is the temple itself, with four entrances. Main entrance the sanctuary is located in the north. There are two columns depicting snakes. Inside there are two more pairs of the same. In ancient times, it was here that terrible human sacrifices were performed.
Temple of Kukulcan building
An interesting fact will be the presence of another similar nine-step pyramid in main pyramid. The entrance to it was found relatively recently, and it was here that the symbol of Mayan power was hidden - the Jaguar Mat.
Jaguar Throne
The Jaguar Mat is the ruler's throne, carved from stone, resembling the shape of a jaguar. The throne is inlaid with 73 jade discs in the shape of jaguar spots. The eyes of the beast are filled with them. The first owners of the throne include Topiltzin Quetzalcoatl, the founder of the Toltecs.
Temple of the Warriors at Chichen Itza
Another famous temple of the city of Chichen Itza is located to the right of the Kukulkan pyramid. The Temple of the Warriors is also located on the pyramid, the approaches to which are guarded by a detachment of patterned columns.
This structure completely copies the Temple of Quetzalcoatl in Tollan. The Toltec leader Topiltzin Quetzalcoatla, before uniting the tribes and carrying out major conquests, lost this city. So that in the new place many things would remind him of his past glory, and a copy of this temple was built.
In front of the temple staircase there are 60 patterned columns, 2.6 meters high, arranged in four rows. Previously, there was a roof on these columns, of which now, alas, nothing remains. Everywhere in the temple there are images of warriors - hence its name. Just like in all Toltec temples, human sacrifices were made here.
The pyramid of this temple is smaller - only 11.5 meters and consists of five steps. The balustrades of the central staircase are decorated with stone male figures. The top is decorated with the temple itself, which consists of two rooms - the front hall and the sanctuary itself. The entrance to the sanctuary is decorated with the already familiar columns with snakes. The sanctuary contains an altar for sacrifices, supported by human figures. Nearby stands the idol of the demon Chak-Mool, holding a dish on which the priests threw people's hearts. There are not so cruel assumptions from researchers about this idol. Some also believe that the dish is used for offerings in the form of intoxicating drinks, and that the idol itself is the god of rain or the guardian of the temple.
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Chichen Itza is the grandiose center of the Maya-Toltec civilization, which absorbed the knowledge, beliefs and ideas of these peoples about the universe and the world around them. The city is included in the list of objects world heritage UNESCO, and the Kukulcan Pyramid located here is declared one of the new seven wonders of the world.
Entrance to the territory is 220 MXN, the cost of guide services is 750 MXN. Prices on the page are as of November 2019.
Access is open from 8:00 to 17:00.
History and culture
The history of the city can be roughly divided into two periods: the first lasted from the 7th to the 10th century, when it belonged to the Mayans, the second came in the 10th century after the Toltecs captured the territory. In the mid-11th century, Chichen Itza became the capital of the Toltec state, and in 1178 it was defeated by the united army of the rebel Mayan tribe from three cities: Mayapan, Uxmal and Itzmal. For a reason that remained an unsolved mystery, the city was completely deserted at the end of the 12th century. The buildings of Chichen Itza were gradually covered with a continuous carpet of thickets of tropical plants, until archaeological and restoration work began here in 1920.
The Toltecs worshiped a deity called Quetzacoatl or Kukulcan in the Mayan language, which means “feathered serpent”, whose images are juxtaposed here with the rain god Chak.
Currently, Chichen Itza is the most fully and efficiently restored Mayan city, attracting a huge number of tourists every year.
Where is it and how to get to Chichen Itza
A first class bus will take you from Merida in 1 hour 45 minutes and 200 MXN. Second class will cost 120 MXN, travel time is 2.5 hours. From Cancun it will be, respectively, 290 MXN and 2.5 hours for first class and 200 MXN and 4.5 hours for second class.
- How to build a route between Chichen Itza, Uxmal and Ek Balam
Shopping
There are a large number of merchants on the territory of the complex offering various souvenirs and crafts. Be careful: in addition to the fact that they are intrusive and will try to attract attention by any means, their products are often of very low quality.
There are also several shops where you can buy souvenirs, clothes and jewelry.
Popular hotels in Chichen Itza
Excursions, activities and attractions of Chichen Itza
Unfortunately, since the beginning of 2006, climbing the structures is prohibited, with the exception of a few specially designated places. Don't forget a hat and sunglasses - there is practically no shade here during the daytime. And, of course, you can’t do without comfortable shoes.
In the evening, the city is illuminated by the lights of a light and sound show, during which a fairy tale narration is performed in Spanish. The night landscape leaves unforgettable experience, but be prepared for the fact that you will have to return in complete darkness - it would be a good idea to have a flashlight with you. A ticket to the show costs 190 MXN.
Bring binoculars with you - a large number of marvelous birds live in the area. And at night you can admire the sky strewn with myriads of stars.
There is also a small but fascinating museum on site.
Pyramids and temples of Chichen Itza
The Pyramid of Kukulkan, or El Castillo, is a nine-step pyramid 25 meters high, essentially a huge calendar: each step is divided into 2 parts, forming 18 terraces, symbolizing the 18 twenty-day months of the year.
On the days of the spring (March 21-22) and autumn (September 21-22) equinox, the play of sunlight and shadow creates on the western balustrade of the main staircase the illusion of the body of a snake, “crawling” as the sun moves towards its head, carved at the base of the staircase.
These days, Chichen Itza is so crowded that you can hardly get closer to get a good look at what is happening. A week before and another week after these dates, the effect of the image is almost the same.
Chichen Itza
El Caracol - located on a square platform, the round temple served as an observatory. The windows of the dome are framed with images of various celestial bodies on certain dates. The large ball field (there are seven in total on the territory of the complex) is the largest of all created by the Mayans, its length is 135 meters. And the Sacred Cenote is a natural well about 50 meters deep.
The temple of warriors (located on a low four-step pyramid) is decorated with images of sacred animals carved from stone. The top is crowned with the figure of the rain god. Nearby are the ruins of baths, which had mystical significance in Mayan life as a way of cleansing the body and soul.
March 19, 20 and 21 are celebrated as the days of “Bowing Kukulkan”, during which time dance, music and theatrical performances take place.
