Going to Mexico , it is necessary to plan a visit to Chichen Itza - the city of Maya, located in Yucatan. The culture of the ancient people, which left riddles after its disappearance, always attracted a large number of tourists, so there are always a lot of visitors.
In this article you will learn, thanks to what sights Chichen Itzu is considered the seventh miracle of the world, and where it is.
How to get to Chichen Itza?
The ruins of the ancient Maya are located only about 180-200 km from Cancun, the capital of Yucatan. From there, you can get to Chichen Itza in 2.5 hours by car, driving on the toll road 180D or on the free road 180.
Things to do Chichen Itza
Discovered due to archaeological excavations of the Chichen Itzu pyramids are the second most popular tourist attraction in Mexico and have been recognized by UNESCO as an object of world cultural heritage.
Kukulkan in Chichen Itza
This is the main 30-meter pyramid, located right in the center of the ancient city, is also called El Castillo. It consists of 9 platforms, four ladders of 91 steps, directed to all sides of the world, and at the base of it lies a square with a side of 55.5 m. It is believed that this pyramid was a kind of calendar for the Maya people. Its name Kukulkan, she received for the fact that twice a year, in the days of the equinox, the sun falls so that it seems as if a snake is creeping down the steps.
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Temple of Warriors, Chichen Itza
To the west of the pyramid is the Temple of Warriors, consisting of four platforms and surrounded on three sides by stone columns of various shapes carved into the Toltec warriors, called the group of thousands of columns. On the upper platform of the temple is a sculpture of a half-human, called the rain god Chaak-Mool. For what purpose this was done, is still unknown.
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Holy Cenote
In the north of the central pyramid is the largest and most famous of natural wells with a diameter of 60m and a depth of 50. Because the Mayan priests used it for sacrifices (discarded valuable gifts and even people), it was called the "Well of Death".
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Fields for playing ball
In total, the city has 9 sites for bloodthirsty South American football (the essence of the game was to throw the ball into the ring at a height). The largest of them is in the northern part of the city in the west. Its dimensions are approximately 160 mx 70 m, and the height of the surrounding walls is 8 m, they are painted with scenes of violence against losers.
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Temple of the Jaguars
Located along the eastern side of the largest of the fields, it served as a location during the Mayan nobility games. His name he received for the figures found in him jaguars.
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Temple of the Great Priest
This is another pyramid, but smaller in size, which was of great importance for Maya. Osario, or the cemetery, looks almost the same as El Castillo. The difference lies in the passage into the underground cave, where graves were found.
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In addition to the listed attractions in Chechin-Itz there are ruins of the following buildings:
- the Karakol Observatory;
- Monashek Palace;
- Temple of the Eagles and Tigers.
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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 nearby hotel is built for tourists who want to swim in the clear waters of the underground lake under the wonderful singing of birds living in the branches and roots of trees growing at the top.
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In order not to get lost in the city of the pyramids of Mayan Chichen Itza, organized tours are organized here.
The beauty of Chichen Itza does not leave any visitors indifferent.