Chichen Itza is an ancient Mayan city in Mexico, home to the famous Mayan pyramids and temples. Chichen Itza Mexico - ancient Mayan city travel photo Interesting facts about the Temple of Kukulcan
Approximately 120 kilometers southeast of the city of Merida are the ruins of the ancient city of Chichen Itza. This is the most famous archaeological site of the Mayan period and the state of Yucatan
We continue the series of stories about the pyramids of the world from LifeGlobe. Last time we talked about the underwater pyramids of the island of Yonaguni, now we came through a story about the great city of the Mayans, their culture and buildings.
Contrary to popular belief, the Mayans were not an empire - they were a group of autonomous cities, often interacting with other states in the region. Chichen Itza and many other important Mayan cities were built in accordance with the sacred beliefs of the Indians - the cities were built to reflect the position of various astronomical objects in the night sky
So, who built this ancient city and its pyramids? The Mayans were an ancient civilization of southern Mexico and other South American countries - Guatemala, Honduras, Belize and El Salvador. Nowadays, about 6 million descendants of the Mayans live here, speaking many different dialects
The Mayan people were very knowledgeable about astronomy, and during the first millennium AD, they studied and mapped in detail the movement patterns of the sun, moon, and other planets and stars. Their religion and mythology were based on this, explaining the past, present and future. The Mayans also invented a brilliant mathematical system, a writing system, and a combination of three accurate interconnected calendars.
In addition to the city of Chichen Itza, the Mayans are also famous for a number of other temple cities, such as Palenque, Uxmal, Copan, etc. Many of these cities have been restored by archaeologists, while some remain underground and await their turn. It is also worth noting that the Mayans were able to navigate long distances across the ocean by developing a sophisticated method of navigating by the stars
Let us turn specifically to the history of the construction of the city of Chichen Itza. Proto-Mayan tribes inhabited the flat plateau of the Yucatan Peninsula for 8,000 years. Archaeologists believe that this place has been an important pilgrimage site for thousands of years.
Chichen Itza became the capital and social center of the Maya in the eighth century. First, the coastal territories of Yucatan were settled, then settlements spread throughout the entire peninsula. Thanks to two large springs of clean water that do not dry out throughout the year, Chichen Itza became the most powerful Mayan city.
In the 10th century, the city was captured by the Toltecs, making Chichen Itza the capital of the Toltec state, but was later recaptured by the united army of three Mayan cities. After the 12th century, Yucatan was mysteriously deserted as the Spanish conquerors destroyed Mayan manuscripts and priests. By the time of the Spanish conquest in the 16th century, Chichen Itza was a complete ruin
As a result of excavations in the city, many architectural monuments were discovered, in particular, the famous pyramids of Chichen Itza. The most prominent among them is the Temple of Kukulkan - a pyramid of 9 steps 24 meters high. It is amazing that on the days of the autumn and spring equinoxes, the rays of the sun illuminate the stairs of the pyramid in such a way that they form an image of seven isosceles triangles, which, in turn, make up the body of a 37-meter snake, crawling as the sun moves to its head, carved in stone at the base stairs
The Temple of the Warriors of Chichen Itza is located on a small pyramid of 4 steps, adjacent to it is the Temple of the Jaguars and the Mayan observatory called Caracol. Surprisingly, the Mayans played football. Naturally, not in the form in which it is customary to play this game now, but nevertheless, during the excavations, 7 large fields for playing ball were discovered. The length of the largest field was 135 meters
It was also possible to preserve statues of gods, with very interesting detail and execution style, as well as many handicraft items and various utensils. A sacred well 50 meters deep, probably used for sacrifices, has also been preserved.
In our time, the Mexican government bought a plot of land of 83 hectares on which the city of Chichen Itza is located in order to preserve it. This is one of the main attractions of Mexico, recognized by UNESCO as a world heritage site. In 2007, the city was recognized as one of the new seven wonders of the world.
The Aztecs also had similar cities in Mexico, for example the city of Teotihuacan, which looks no less majestic.
One of the most famous places that all tourists traveling around Mexico should definitely visit is the ancient city of Chichen Itza. Translated, its name means “Mouth of the well of the water sorcerers” or “Place near the well of the Itza tribe.” This place is mysterious, very colorful and even a little sinister.
Chichetz Itza - a world cultural heritage site
In the past, the city was the political and cultural center of the Maya-Toltec civilization. And now, having become one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites, it attracts a huge number of tourists. It is estimated that more than a million people visit this archaeological complex every year. Chichen Itza gained enormous popularity not only because it was quite well preserved. It has become the quintessence of religious beliefs and ideas about the structure of the universe and the surrounding world. A special influx of tourists occurred in December 2012. Believing in the ancient prophecy, many adherents of the famous calendar rushed to Chichen Itza, wanting to “meet” the end of the world among the ancient Mayan structures.
Chichen Itza: history of origin
It is quite difficult to reliably describe the history of the creation of the city, since there are practically no manuscripts left describing the ancient events of Chichen Itza - they were destroyed by the Spanish conquerors. Archaeological scientists believe that people first began to settle in this place in the 4th century, and the first urban structures began to be erected approximately in the 6th - 7th centuries. At the same time, the urban community arose. Until the 10th century Chichen Itza was a refuge for the Mayans. And by the end of the 10th century. the city was conquered by conquerors from Central Mexico - the Toltecs, who practiced sacrifices and served the cult of the Feathered Serpent. They did not destroy Chichen Itza, but on the contrary, they firmly took root in it. During the reign of the Toltecs, the city became one of the most powerful settlements of the Yucatan Peninsula. From the 11th century The Toltecs made it the capital of their empire. Over time, it gradually changed and increasingly acquired Toltec features. The symbiosis of two unique cultures made the ancient city truly unique. For unknown reasons, at the end of the 12th century. it was abandoned by the inhabitants and overgrown with jungle. Only in 1920 did archaeologists reveal its mysterious structures to the world.
The main attractions of the ancient Mayan city
The most famous building of the ancient city is the Pyramid of Kukulkan (or otherwise, the Pyramid of El Castillo). In 2007, it was included in the list of seven new wonders of the world. Chichen Itza was built in the 11th century. joint efforts of the Mayan and Toltec Indians. They erected a grandiose monument dedicated to the wind, Quetzalcoatl, who had the appearance of a feathered serpent with the head of a man. The Mayan Indians called the deity Kukulkan, that is, “feathered serpent.” This structure was created based on the cosmological and calendar knowledge of the Mayans and Toltecs. It reaches a height of 24 m, and its edges face all four cardinal directions. At the top of the pyramid there is a platform that was used in ancient times for making sacrifices.
Four steep and wide staircases lead to the site, each of which consists of 91 steps, which in total (together with the upper platform) gives the significant number 365, equal to the number of days in a solar year. On each side of the pyramid there are 18 sections - terraces. This number is also symbolic. It is equal to the number of months in the Mayan calendar. In addition, there are 52 stone reliefs on each of the four sides of the pyramid. They represent the coincidence of special Toltec calendar cycles - the daytime shiupoualli and the daytime tonalpohualli - which occurs once every 52 years. Interestingly, inside the sanctuary there is another nine-step pyramid, the entrance to which was found relatively recently. There is a relic there - the "Jaguar Mat" and the statue "Chak-Mool".
The second unique attraction of the city of Chichen Itza in Mexico is the famous Temple of the Warriors. It is located directly behind the El Castillo pyramid and is a monumental five-step pyramid reaching a height of 11.5 m.
It is surrounded on all sides by columns made in the shape of Toltec warriors. That is why the pyramid got its name. At its top there is a temple consisting of a hall and a sanctuary. An impressive staircase surrounded by balustrades leads to the temple. The entrance to the sanctuary is marked by snakes carved from stone. The temple has a stone altar resembling a low table, the legs of which are made in the shape of human figures. There is also an ugly stone idol of the Toltec deity Chak-Mool - a reclining demon holding a large empty dish in his hands and pressing it to his stomach. It is believed that it was on this dish that the priests burned the hearts of their victims.
Another mysterious attraction of the ancient Mayan city is the “Sacred Cenote”
Not only the Chichen Itza pyramids in Mexico deserve the attention of many tourists. North of the El Castillo monument there is another mysterious attraction called the “Sacred Cenote” (otherwise known as the “Well of Death”). This karst formation, unlike other wells, did not serve the Toltecs as a source of fresh water.
The priests threw victims into it, glorifying their gods. The “Well of Death” was 50 m deep and was considered a kind of portal to the other world. In the period from 1910 - 1925. it was explored by Herbert Thompson, who recovered from it a large number of antiquities: gold, ceramics, rubber, obsidian and, of course, many human remains.
Pyramid of Osuari
Chichen Itza also has another karst formation - Cenote Stolok, which is located south of the Temple of Kukulkan. It, unlike the “Well of Death,” was used by the Toltecs exclusively as a source of drinking water. A little later, scientist G. Thompson explored another interesting pyramid of Chichen Itza - Osuari (otherwise known as the Crypt).
It, like the Temple of Kukulkan, was built with stairs on each of the four sides. Interestingly, in the center of the pyramid there is a deep vertical hole leading to a natural cave. In it, Thompson found several interesting jade artifacts, as well as human remains.
Ball court
Another ominous attraction of the city of Chichen Itza is Tzompantli. It is a T-shaped platform, the walls of which are decorated with relief images of skulls.
Tzompantli was used to display the heads of victims as well as prisoners of war. To the west of the Temple of Skulls is one of the nine ball courts, striking in its grandiose size. Its length is 168 m and its width is about 70 m. It is believed that it was built in 864 AD. In the east of the site is the Temple of the Jaguar, which includes two sanctuaries. The upper sanctuary is located on the wall bordering the platform. They probably watched the ball game from here. The lower sanctuary is located on the outside of the site. Near its entrance there is a monument - the figure of a jaguar. In the northern part of the playground there is another structure - the Temple of the Bearded Man. A staircase leads to its entrance, divided by two pillars. The inside of the temple is decorated with a relief, in the center of which is the figure of a man with a beard.
Karakol Observatory
To the south of the ball court are several other attractions, including the Red House, a building with a red façade, and the Caracol (translated as "snail shell"), a tower built on a platform. It is believed that it was used by the Mayan Indians for observing astronomical objects, calculating and therefore Caracol is also called the Observatory.
To the south of the tower there is another powerful Toltec structure, which the Spaniards called the “Convent” for its majestic and forbidding appearance. It reaches a height of 20 m, and its base is 70 m by 35 m. A wide staircase leads to the entrance to the monastery. The building itself is decorated with masks of the god Chaka and various relief patterns.
How to get to the ancient city of Chichen Itza?
This World Cultural Heritage Site is located 1.5 km from the small Mexican settlement of Piste, located between the two major cities of northern Yucatan - Cancun and Merida. You can get to the city of Chichen Itza yourself by renting a car or taking a bus (a ticket costs from 80 to 140 pesos, depending on the class). A taxi will cost you much more than public transport, since the distance from Cancun or Merida is not close, about 200 km and 120 km, respectively. The archaeological area is open to visitors daily, from 8:00 to 17:00. If you want to save money, go sightseeing to the Mayans and Toltecs on Sunday, admission will be free.
In the north of Yucotan, in Mexico, there are unique buildings of the ancient city of the Itza Indian people, who once declared their power and subjugated other tribes. “Chichen Itza” means in the Mayan language - “At the mouth of the well of Itza” (its - sorcerer, ha - water). The ancient handwritten codex Chilam-Bolam, consisting of nine collections, mentions another, more ancient name of the city, but due to forgotten spelling it is not possible to accurately decipher it.
Historical information
Presumably, the city of Chichen Itza was founded around 455, during the heyday of the Mayan civilization, which became famous for its culture, architecture and quite significant, for that time, knowledge in mathematics and astronomy.
The buildings erected at Chichen Itza can be divided into two parts. One of them includes buildings of the 6th–7th centuries AD. e. This is the culture of the ancient Mayans. Buildings characteristic of the Toltec culture belong to another group. They captured the city in the 10th–11th centuries AD. and after some time they made it their capital. But already in 1178, Chichen Itza was literally defeated by the troops of three united cities: Itzmal, Mayapan, Uxmal under the command of Huanak Keel.
The Spaniards who invaded Mexico burned Indian manuscripts. But, despite the loss of historical data, archaeologists were still able to establish that in the 13th century the city was plundered and could no longer continue to influence the economy of the surrounding regions. In this regard, rich and noble citizens left Chichen Itza, and after them the rest of the inhabitants left the city. The Spanish conquerors discovered a completely empty city, around which there were small Indian settlements; their inhabitants treated the ruins of the ancient city as a sacred place. Centuries have passed, but the exact reason for the transformation of the once powerful city into one abandoned and forgotten by literally everyone has not been established.
Sights of the Holy City
Archaeologists worked for a long time on the territory of the ancient city of Chichen Itza, revealing unique Indian structures to the whole world:
1. The famous Kukulkan Temple.
2. Temple of Jaguars with unique paintings on the walls.
3. Temple of warriors with a base of 40 m, erected on a 4-step pyramid.
4. A group of a thousand columns - ruins of 4 colonnades arranged in the shape of a rectangle.
5. Karakol - an ancient observatory.
6. Seven stadiums built to host ball games and competitions - the largest of them is 135 m long.
7. The sacred cenote - a natural well, 50 m deep, was necessary for making sacrifices to the god of forests and fields Yumkash.
Near the historical monuments, statues of gods made with the stylization characteristic of the Mayan civilization, various reliefs that at one time were decorations of buildings and religious centers, as well as handicrafts were discovered.
Main temple of the city
The main structures of Chichen Itza were built during the period later called Mexican. The Toltecs, who captured the area, built a temple, which became the main one. It was created in honor of the Toltec god Kukulkan or the Feathered Serpent. Nowadays, it has become a real symbol of Mexico.
The building is a nine-step pyramid, 24 m high. Its base is square and very massive. The layout of the temple used the astronomical knowledge of the Indians, as well as the numbers of their calendar cycles. There are four staircases with balustrades leading to the top of the structure, which start from the head of the snake. The play of light on the days of the equinox allows you to observe the illusion that the powerful Serpent is slowly emerging from a secret hiding place.
The Temple of Kukulcan has four entrances. At the main one, oriented to the north, there are two columns in the form of snakes. There are exactly the same ones inside. This is a creepy place. Many years ago, human lives were sacrificed here.
Surprisingly, in the pyramid under the temple there is another one, the same, nine-step, only smaller. The entrance to it was discovered by scientists quite recently. The discovered artifact that was hidden there is truly priceless. This is a symbol of power of the Mayan Indians - the Jaguar Mat, the stone throne of the Supreme Ruler in the form of a jaguar. Inlaid with 73 jade discs, which are spots on the skin. Presumably the first owner of the throne was Topiltzin Quetzalcoatl, the ancestor of the Toltecs.
To preserve the heritage left by the ancient people, the government of Yucotan made a deal with the owner of the land. 83 hectares were purchased, along with the holy city. UNESCO has awarded Chichen Itza the status of a World Cultural Heritage Site. Its sights are visited by tourists from all over the world, and for those who are interested in the history of the civilizations of our planet, this is a very important place, with a huge amount of unexplored information.
Chichen Itza undoubtedly contains remarkable ruins that hardly anyone has ever seen before.
The most important treasures of the most famous and most magnificent of the Mayan cities await their explorers: Indian pyramids, palaces, an observatory, a ball court and other interesting architectural monuments are generously offered by Chichen Itza to the inquisitive visitor. The ancient city is incredibly popular among tourists as a world cultural heritage site and as one of the new wonders of the world.
Story
The city was named Chichen Itza, which literally means “At the Well (of the Itza Tribe). The name “Itza” was given to the Mayan tribe, who found a life-giving cenote in 455 and built a city next to it. In 692, the Indians, for a reason unknown to us, left the city, which was beautiful and majestic, and there was always plenty of drinking water here. From the end of the 7th century, the darkness of oblivion fell like a heavy blanket over Chichen Itza, and the buildings and temples that grew up around the cenote Stolok began to fall into disrepair. But in the 11th century, the Toltecs came to the city from central Mexico - Chichen Itza found a new lease of life, becoming the capital of the Toltec state. The noisy wars “bleded” the city, the Toltecs had already lost their power in these unfriendly places, and the 14th century brought a bitter taste of decline to the streets of Chichen Itza. The city became deserted, the majestic buildings, shrouded only in the noise of the nearby jungle, ceased to resist the crushing pressure of time, and the Spanish conquerors found only ruins here.
Chichen Itza emerged from its long sleep only in 1843, when it was rediscovered for human history by the American John Stevens.
The most popular architectural monuments of Chichen Itza
Pyramid of Kukulcan
El Castillo or the Pyramid of Kukulcan was undoubtedly the heart of the Mayan and Toltec capital. This structure with a square base has nine steps. Four staircases bordered by a balustrade lead to its top, which begin on the ground floor in the form of a slightly raised, beautifully crafted snake head and continue on their way like a snake body to the upper floor. Each staircase consists of 91 steps, and if the number of steps is multiplied by the number of stairs, the result is 364 steps and the 365th step at the top of the pyramid symbolizes the last day of the past year. At the top there is a temple, the entrance to which, decorated with columns in the form of snake bodies, is located on the north side. On the days when the equinox arrives, you can see a stunning spectacle: the play of light and shadow on the balustrade of the main staircase creates the impression of a giant snake crawling from the top of the pyramid - this is the appearance of Kukulkan, the feathered serpent.
Temple of Warriors
The modern world learned about the Temple of Warriors only in 1925, when a French Mayitologist cut off a century-old layer of clay from a four-level pyramid with a base of forty by forty meters. In front of the temple there is a platform with a dozen rows of three-meter columns, decorated with a frieze depicting a Toltec warrior in parade. Here the military leaders ended their earthly journey, in whose honor this temple was erected. At the top of the temple there is a large stone sculpture, the symbol of Chichen Itza - the reclining god Chac-Mool.
Karakol
With the new rulers of the city - the Toltecs - new Mexican gods and new orders came to Chichen Itza. The monument to the “feathered serpent” is not at all Mayan, and what it was originally called is unknown; the Spaniards called it “Caracol”, which means “snail”. The building is located half a kilometer from the majestic Pyramid of Kukulkan and is already striking from afar. This is a structure with a circular horizontal projection, and in Mexico only the sanctuaries of the “feathered serpent” have a cylindrical shape. Later, the building was surrounded by a terrace, a second floor, also round in shape, but smaller in size, was erected and four square holes were made in its walls. Holes made in the walls were designed according to the trajectory of celestial bodies and allowed ancient astronomers to study astronomical phenomena, monitor the movement of the sun and the equinoxes. The rear opening allowed ancient astrologers to observe the autumn and spring equinoxes; the sun on September 21 and March 21 stood opposite the astrologer's eyes. One way or another, Caracol turned into a real observatory of the Indians, and the Mayans managed to remain faithful to the thirst for knowledge of the universe and connected Caracol not only with formidable gods, but also with the calendar.
Venus platform
Together with the Toltecs, Venus entered the pantheon of gods of Chichen Itza. The monument dedicated to this goddess, called the Platform of Venus, is decorated with the most terrifying faces of the “Morning Star”. A low, square pyramid, framed on four sides by wide stairs, is crowned with a platform, and it was here that the ruthless Toltec priests made human sacrifices to the gods. True, in the month of Shul, which was the sixth month in the Mayan calendar, cheerful festivities took place on this site, and theatrical performances dedicated to Kukulkan were given.
Cenote Shtolok
In the summer, residents of the Mayan capital, tormented by the heat, quenched their thirst here, at a natural reservoir in a karst fissure, dedicated to the god Shtolok. Cenotes have always played an important role in Mayan religion, but this well was a simple urban water storage, and in its wall there is a hewn staircase along which women once descended to the dark water to fill their clay vessels with life-giving moisture.
Well of Death or Sacred Cenote
The diameter of this well is 60 meters and this place has a history that is frightening for modern people: priests threw young girls into this well to a depth of fifty meters, sacrificing them to the Mexican gods.
Iglesia
The building has elements of a distinct Puuk style: the huge, magnificent façade of the building is decorated with a three-part entablature. There is only one entrance to the building - a small doorway, which is practically invisible under the weight of the triple entablature. The main theme of the rich façade is the nosed Chuck masks, between which you can see the figures of an armadillo, a crab, a turtle and a sea mollusk in a large shell.
Temple of Skulls, Tzompantli
The “Wall of Skulls” is a reflection of the cruel Mexican cult, which demanded human sacrifices during religious rites. This is a kind of “warehouse of the dead”, the walls of which depict terrifying reliefs arranged in three rows above each other, which depict hundreds of skulls impaled on poles. The blood of human victims undoubtedly once flowed along the stairs of Tsompatli, and it is “decorated” by images of warriors carrying the severed heads of enemies in their hands.
Ball field
This field is equal to a modern stadium, its width is 68 meters, and its length is about 166 meters. The field is surrounded by twelve-meter walls. On the side walls of this grandiose playground, richly decorated rings are fixed at an eight-meter height. The field is the largest in Mesoamerica, and at the site, guides always demonstrate to tourists the excellent acoustics of this place.
Helpful information
The archaeological zone is open from 8 am to 5 pm. Unfortunately, in Chichen Itza it is forbidden to climb the pyramids, enter the temples and touch the ancient stones; you are only allowed to admire the amazing architecture of the Mayan city. The entrance ticket to the complex costs 204 pesos, that is, 59 pesos is the cost of the ticket itself, but 145 pesos is paid as a tax imposed on visiting the ruins.
Near Chichen Itza there is Piste - a settlement where souvenirs are sold, cafes and restaurants, as well as hotels have been built. But mostly tourists rent rooms in Piste from local residents.
You can get to Chichen Itza from the city of Valladolid by minibus or from the ADO bus station by bus. For a bus you will need to pay 26 pesos, and for a minibus 25 pesos. You can also get to the attraction from Merida by bus, and a ticket will cost 125 pesos. But it is best to go to Chichen Itza as part of an excursion group; with tour operators, an excursion costs about $120.
(you can find out a full description of the program and cost using 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 of 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 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 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. 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 building is its precise geographical location relative to the cardinal points 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 a 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 of a resort holiday on the Caribbean coast of Mexico are immediately visible!
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 from the ADO bus station and by 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.
