About Chichen Itza in the state of Yucatan, Mexico

Chichen Itza city was the most important capital city of the Maya area in the classic period.  Chichen Itza means “at the mouth of the Itza well.” It is a Mayan city on the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico located between Valladolid and Merida. It was established before the period of Christopher Columbus and most likely served as the religion center of Yucatan for quite a while. Today it is the second most visited site of Mexico.  

Chichen Itza history

Chichen Itza was one of the greatest Mayan centers of the Yucatan Peninsula.  Throughout it’s nearly 1000 years of history different people have left their mark on this beautiful city. The Maya and Toltec vision of the world and universe is revealed in their artistic works and stone mountains. Several of these buildings have survived over the years. In the northern region of the Yucatan peninsula on a limestone plateau are the relics of Chichen Itza which was once one of the most powerful cities of the Maya. Ruins of the temples of this ancient civilization spread from the Guatemala jungles to the Yucatan. The Maya originated 3000 years ago in present day Guatemala, Honduras, Belize and Mexico. The Maya empire thrived in the southern regions from 250 AD to 900 AD. The empire in the south collapsed in 900 AD. The north especially the Yucatan flourished until the Spanish conquests in the 16th century. The Maya were very skilled farmers and also created a very sophisticated written language. The Maya also developed a social class system which was well ordered and carried on trade throughout a network of cities. The Maya used their mathematical skills along with celestial observations to finesse a calendar created by the Olmec which is a culture from the Mexican Gulf Coast and to create monuments to observe and commemorate movements of the moon, sun and venus.  Amazing examples of these monuments can be seen today at Chichen Itza.
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Chichen Itza tourism

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Chichen Itza is visited each year by more then one million people. There are many package options available from various locations that offer tours of Chichen Itza as well as transportation to and from the location. There are also hotels in the area to stay in. Chichen Itza is an UNESCO World Heritage Site and was named one of the new “Seven Wonders of the World”. The ruins cover an area of 2.5 square miles and can be toured in one day. There are two zones, the southern zone dates back to the 7th century and showcases Chichen Itza’s early construction in the traditional Puuc Maya style of the Yucatan region. The central zone was constructed after the arrival of the Toltecs around the 10th century and showcase a unique fusion of highland and central Mexican and Puuc architectural styles. The most impressive sites and structures are located in the central zone. Here you will find the Juego del Pelota (Ball Court), several platforms, temples and the spectacular El Castillo (Pyramid Kukulkan) a massive 25m stone representation of the Maya calendar. Toltec warriors are represented in the carvings around the doorway at the top of El Castillo.
Local guides at the site can provide details about Chichen Itza and even lead you to a cenote which is a underwater sinkhole. The Cenote Sagrado (Sacred Cenote) at Chichen Itza is believed to have been used by the ancient Maya for ceremonial purposes including human sacrifice.  Each year during the spring and autumn equinoxes the sun produces the illusion of a serpent ascending or descending the steps of the Pyramid Kukulkan, this is a huge phenomenon that draws crowds. The illusion is reproduced at the sound and light show that takes place nightly at the archaeological site. 
Read about the next Meso American Ruin >
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