Location: Mexico
Main attractions: temple of Kukulkan, temple of warriors, temple of jaguars, observatory, sacred cenote
Coordinates: 20°41"01.0"N 88°34"08.4"W
Short description
Ancient city Maya - Chichen Itza, located in Mexico in the north of the Yucatan Peninsula, is covered with sinister glory. It is here, 300 meters north of the main buildings of the city, that the Sacred Cenote, or “Well of Death”, about 50 meters deep, is located, at the bottom of which, according to Mayan legends, the rain god Chak lived.
The ancient city of Chichen Itza from a bird's eye view
To appease God and bring rain, the Maya performed human sacrifices, throwing the most beautiful girls to the bottom of the well. Following the victims, rich gifts were thrown into the cenote - gold, jade, rock crystal, mother-of-pearl, amber, copper, onyx, etc.
The legend of sacrifice was confirmed by Mexican scientists who plunged to the bottom of the well. And although the well has not been used by the Mayans for a long time, many people still believe in its supernatural power. It is believed that if you throw a coin into the water and make a wish, it will surely come true.
Temple of Kukulkan
A Brief History of Chichen Itza
The name of the ancient city of Chichen Itza is translated as "The well of the Itza tribe." The city was founded in the 7th century AD. e. as a religious center of the Maya, and by the 10th century it was captured by the Toltecs who came to the Yucatan from central Mexico, and by the 11th century it became the capital of the Toltec kingdom. In 1178, the Indian ruler Hunak Keel destroyed the Mayan sanctuary, turning it into a miserable heap of ruins. The city fell into decay and became depopulated.
Temple of Warriors
Return of the Feathered Serpent
Chichen Itza is considered the most famous and best restored Mayan city. The main temple of Chichen Itza is dedicated to the deity Kukulkan - the “Feathered Serpent”. The 30-meter pyramid of Kukulkan rises on a huge stone terrace. Four staircases, oriented to the cardinal points, lead to the top of the ritual building, where the ancient Maya performed sacrifices. The stairs are framed by a balustrade, which starts at the bottom with a snake head carved in stone and continues to the top of the pyramid in the form of a curving snake body.
Observatory
Every year on the days of the spring and autumn equinoxes, that is, March 20 and September 22, you can observe unique phenomenon"Feathered Serpent": the sun illuminates the balustrade in such a way that the shadow of the "Feathered Serpent" is formed on the pyramid, which creeps down and disappears exactly after 3 hours and 22 minutes.
All four stairs of the temple have 91 steps, and together with the terrace-platform connecting them together, it turns out 365 steps (91 x 4 + 1), which corresponds to the number of days in a year.
Temple of the Jaguars
Treasures of the Pyramid of Kukulkan
In one of the secret rooms of the Kukulkan pyramid, archaeologists discovered the “Jaguar Mat” and the ritual figure of Chuck Mool with a flat bowl on his stomach, on which the heart of the sacrifice was burned. The "Jaguar Mat" is a throne carved in stone in the shape of a jaguar's body and painted fiery red. The spots on the skin of the beast are made of jade stones. The eyes are also jade, and the fangs in the bared mouth are carved from a stone of volcanic origin.
Large field for ball games
Other sights of Chichen Itza
Important buildings of Chitsen Itza are the Temple of Warriors and the Temple of Jaguars, whose walls are decorated with paintings.. So, in the Temple of the Jaguars, images of jaguars and eagles devouring human hearts are carved. On the south side of the Temple of Warriors is the "Group of a Thousand Columns". It consists of the ruins of four colonnades, forming a giant rectangle. Chichen Itza also has its own observatory "Karakol", designed to observe the planets and, in particular, Venus.
sacred cenote
It is a round building with small windows, rising on a double stone platform. Inside this structure, a spiral staircase was built, which has a spiral shape like that of a clam shell. Hence the name of the observatory - "Caracol", which is translated from Spanish as "snail". One of the oldest buildings in the city, the Palace of the Nuns is interesting for its stone carvings and masks of the god Chak. Chichen Itza has seven ball courts, including the largest "stadium" ever built by the Maya.
Venus platform
Since the ball game had ritual significance for the Maya, the losers were sacrificed. The inhabitants of Chichen Itza were excellent craftsmen and artists. This is evidenced by the sculptures of deities preserved in the city, bas-reliefs with floral and geometric ornaments carved on them, handicrafts, etc. In 2007, according to the results of a popular vote, Chichen Itza was recognized as one of
Kukulkan: the right side of the pyramid has been restored, the left side has not been restored Karakol - the ancient Observatory
Chichen Itza is a city of the Mayan civilization, well preserved from antiquity, built in accordance with the religious ideas of this people. It can be said right away that all Mayan cities were built taking into account the positions of heavenly bodies and stars.
Once the city of Chichen Itza was the center of culture of several Indian peoples. Its name is translated as "a place at the well of the Itza tribe." Such peoples as the Maya, Toltecs, Itza left their mark in the city of Chichen Itza.
This city in Mexico is now a World Heritage Site. cultural heritage UNESCO.
Where is Chichen Itza located?
This seventh wonder of the world is located in the north of the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico. The ancient city of Chichen Itza is 205 kilometers away from famous resort Cancun and 120 kilometers from Merida. Very close to it (1.5 kilometers) is small town Piste.
Popularity of the ancient city
Chichen Itza is one of the most popular places in the Yucatan and in Mexico in general. It is in second place in terms of attendance among ancient cities, only Teotihuacan () is ahead of it.
It is estimated that the number of tourists who visit this archaeological complex exceeds one million a year. A huge influx was observed here in December 2012, because it was at this time that the Mayan calendar was supposed to end. Many people wanted to spend the end of the world in the archaeological complex of Chichen Itza.
Currently, you can come to Chichen Itza with a 1-day excursion from both Cancun and Merida.
City `s history
The history of the city dates back to the 6th century AD. Then it was one of largest cities Mayan civilization. southern part The ancient city was built in accordance with the traditions of the Mayan people.
In the 10th century, after the capture, the city was dominated by the Toltecs, who arrived here from Central Mexico. Later, from about the middle of the 11th century, Chichen Itza became the capital and center of the Toltec state.
Blood sacrifices began here precisely because of this people. All Northern part cities testify to their presence. A century later, the city was defeated by a huge army, which included the soldiers of three states - Ushmal, Mayapan, Itzmal.
Chichen Itza was defeated by the ruler Hunak Keel. In the future, the city was empty and turned into ruins (this is how the Europeans discovered it).
Many treasures were stolen by the Spaniards and the manuscripts were destroyed.
Therefore, very little can be said about history, but it is assumed that if it were not for the actions of Europeans, archaeologists could have discovered many unique finds. In 1923, Mexico began archaeological excavations, and now about 6 square kilometers of the ancient city is on the surface.
Pyramid of Kukulkan in Chichen Itza
The very first building that is very conspicuous is the huge pyramid of Kukulkan. It is the center in the city of Chichen Itza. In Spanish, it is called El Castillo, which means "castle".
The total height of the Kukulkan pyramid is 24 meters. The pyramid has nine tiers, and at the very top there is a temple.
Kukulkan, like any pyramid, has 4 faces that are directed to 4 cardinal points. And on each side a wide staircase leads up, which is decorated with snake heads below.
The path leads to the main northern staircase of the pyramid. To go upstairs, you must overcome a certain number of steps - there are 91 of them.
It is interesting that the total number of steps on the pyramid, including the upper platform, is 365, that is, an even number of days in a year.
Such a coincidence suggests that this pyramid may have some relation to the calendar, or it may have astronomical significance.
At the very top is a temple where sacrifices were made in ancient times.
As studies have shown, great pyramid was built on top of even more ancient pyramid, into which a hole in the floor of the sanctuary leads.
In the hidden rooms of the pyramid of Kukulkan, archaeologists discovered two main antiquities: the Jaguar Mat and the figure of Chaak Mool, the god of rain.
- "Mat Jaguar"- is a stone throne in the shape of a jaguar, the paint on it is fiery red, it is a symbol of the power of the ruler of the city. The very first owner of this throne, according to legend, was Quetzalcoatl. The spots on the animal body and the eyes of the animal are made of jade. The fangs are carved from volcanic stone.
- - made for ritual purposes. She has a flat bowl on her stomach, on which the heart of the victim was placed, for later burning.
The second name of the construction of Kukulkan is the Pyramid of the Feathered Serpent (the most correct translation is the Feathered Serpent). Firstly, this pyramid and temple are dedicated to this deity. Secondly, the name is associated with a certain phenomenon.
Light illusion of Kukulkan - the play of shadows on the faces of the pyramid
Every year, at the time of the equinox, an event takes place here that attracts people to Mexico. At 3 p.m., the pyramid is lit so that the staircase casts a shadow - a series of triangles that together resemble a snake's tail.
During the movement of the luminary in the sky, the triangles go out one by one, thus, it seems that this is the tail of a huge snake, 37 meters long, moving down.
Now such a phenomenon can be seen not only on certain days, every evening is held here light show.
Kukulkan: the right side of the pyramid has been restored, the left one has not been restored
Learn more about the Pyramid of Kukulkan on our website - "Pyramid of Kukulkan - the ancient Mayan god"
Temples of the ancient city of Chichen Itza
Temple of the Warriors as well as the Temple of the Jaguars are important buildings in the city of Chichen Itza. Both stand on small pyramids with 4 steps. Both have many paintings.
Temple of the Warriors
The Temple of the Warriors is located on the western side of the Kikulkan Pyramid. It has four platforms, and on three sides around it you can see rows of three-meter stone columns. They are called "Group of a Thousand Columns".
The pillars are skillfully carved from stone, and represent Toltec warriors, as if standing in formation. Once upon a time they propped up the roof.
On the south side of the temple is a small building, which has the name "Market".
The upper sanctuary also once had a roof, now it is gone, and at the top there are two "snakes" that guarded the passage to the temple.
There is also a statue of a man in a reclining position on the platform. This is Chaak Mool - the god of rain.
The Temple of the Jaguar has two shrines: an upper and a lower one. At the top, the elite watched the game on the field.
At the entrance to the lower sanctuary, you can see the figure of a jaguar, thanks to which the temple got its name.
Another building is called the Temple or the tomb of the great priest. During Mayan times, it played an important role.
Externally, the structure is similar to other temples with pyramids. But its difference is that inside there is a passage to a cave underground. Ancient graves of noble people were discovered there.
The second name of this building is Osuari, in other words, the crypt.
Other attractions
In addition to temples, the city of Chichen Itza has other interesting places.
Sacred Cenote is a huge well. Its diameter is approximately 60 meters, and the depth of the well is 50 meters. There is water in it, from the edge to its surface about 20 meters.
The well served as the place where the sacrificed young girls were thrown. Therefore, the second name of this object is the Well of Death.
Ball fields
There are 9 ball fields on the territory of the archaeological complex. This game was somewhat similar to modern basketball, only it was played with a heavy rubber ball, which could only be hit with the hip. Instead of ordinary baskets, stone rings are attached to the walls.
The found sites are quite large, the largest one is located in the northern part of the complex. Its dimensions are: length - 160 meters, width - 70. The entire field is surrounded by eight-meter walls, they depict scenes of torment of losing players and many skulls.
Caracol tower - ancient observatory
One more ancient building— Caracol. This is a tower on two platforms, it was used to observe celestial astronomical objects. It is often referred to as the Observatory.
In the north of the Mexican Yucatan was once located largest center Mayan people - Chichen Itza. The city in translation meaning approximately “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 disrepair. No one can now say what caused the residents to leave. The Spaniards who came here in the 16th century stumbled only on the ruins of Chichen Itza.
The excavations carried out in our time on the site of this ancient city made it possible to find many interesting architectural monuments from the culture of the time. One of the most famous was the temple of Kukulkan, which is a 9-step pyramid. Another interesting building is the temple of the Warriors on a 4-step pyramid, decorated with paintings. Stadiums for violent ball games, a 50-meter well for sacrifices, a sacred cenote, an observatory of the statue of local gods were also discovered.
Stadium ball ring
Interestingly, the land with these structures until 2010 was in private hands. 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 magnitude, of course, was taken under the control of UNESCO. And in 2007 he was awarded the title of one of the new wonders of the world.
Temple of Kukulkan at Chichen Itza
The main interesting architectural buildings in Chichen Itza were built in the so-called Mexican period - the time after the capture of the city by the Toltecs. At the same time, the main temple of the Mayan city, the temple of Kukulkan, was built. 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. Any inhabitant of our planet has seen this 24-meter nine-step pyramid at least once in his life.
The building has a square plan, 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 buildings of Chichen Itzi. On the right is the temple of the Warriors, on the left is the temple of the Jaguars.
Four staircases lead to the top of the temple, oriented to the cardinal points. The stairs are accompanied by a balustrade starting with a snake's head. On the days of the equinox, the lighting creates an interesting effect: it seems that the Serpent Kukulkan begins to crawl out of its lair.
Serpent head
In addition to its orientation to the cardinal points, the temple is also distinguished by other astronomical details. There are 91 steps on each staircase, which gives a total of 364. And if we add the upper platform to this number, we get the total number of days in a year - 365. The nine main steps of the pyramid are separated by a staircase, which actually doubles them to 18. With the number 18 in the Maya is associated with the number of months in a year. Each wall depicts 52 reliefs - the number of years in the calendar cycle.
On top of this great pyramid the temple itself is located with four entrances. The main entrance to the sanctuary is in the north. There are two columns depicting snakes. Inside are two more pairs of the same. In the old days, it was here that terrible human sacrifices were made.
Temple of Kukulkan
An interesting fact is the presence of another of the same nine-step pyramid in the main pyramid. The entrance was found relatively recently, and it was here that the symbol of Mayan power, the Jaguar Mat, was hidden.
Jaguar Throne
The Jaguar mat is the ruler's throne, carved from stone, resembling the figure of a jaguar. The throne is inlaid with 73 jade disks in the form of jaguar spots. They are filled with the eyes of the beast. The first owners of the throne include Topiltzin Quetzalcoatl, the founder of the Toltecs.
Temple of the Warriors at Chichen Itza
Another well-known temple of the city of Chichen Itza is located to the right of the pyramid of Kukulkan. The Temple of the Warriors is also located on the pyramid, the approaches to which are guarded by a detachment of patterned columns.
This building completely copies the temple of Quetzalcoatl in Tollan. The Toltec leader Topiltzin Quetzalcoatl, before uniting the tribes and making major conquests, lost this city. So that in the new place he would be reminded of the past glory, a copy of this temple was built.
In front of the stairs of the temple there are 60 patterned columns 2.6 meters high, arranged in four rows. Previously, these columns had a roof, from which, alas, nothing remains now. Everywhere in the temple there are images of warriors - hence its name. As well as in all the temples of the Toltecs, human sacrifices were made here.
The pyramid of this temple is smaller - only 11.5 meters and consists of five steps. Balustrades of the central staircase are decorated with stone male figures. The top is decorated with the actual temple, which consists of two rooms - the front hall and the sanctuary itself. The entrance to the sanctuary is decorated with columns with snakes already familiar to us. In the sanctuary there is an altar for sacrifices supported by figures of people. Nearby stands an idol of the demon Chak-Mool, holding a dish on which the priests threw people's hearts. There are not so cruel assumptions of researchers on this idol. Some also believe that the dish serves as an offering in the form of intoxicating drinks, and the idol itself is a rain god or guardian of the temple.
Continuing the theme of the pyramids, touched upon in a previous publication about Teotihuacan - the largest ancient city on the territory of America, one cannot ignore the no less famous Cheech complex e n-Itz a(emphasis on bold letters), located in Mexico on the Yucatan Peninsula.
How to get to Chichen Itza
Chichen Itza is located just 200 km and two hours by car from the most popular Mexican resort of Cancun, so it is a kind of must-see attraction of the region, and it really is. An excellent toll highway has been laid to the complex, which allows you to quickly and comfortably get there even by car, even by bus.
The entire route marked on the map from point A (the center of the resort of Cancun) to Chichen Itza (point B) with a stop in Tulum (point C) and a return to Cancun takes 480 km and 6 hours by car, which makes it quite easy to put it in one day.
Driving in Mexico at first creates the illusion of permissiveness - an excellent toll road, there are few cars, why not put the pedal to the floor ?! However, be careful - traffic police in mexico is very corrupt and is aimed at extorting money, in the first place, from tourists. I recommend not to exceed the speed greatly in excess of the recommended one and be sure to read a story about my experience with the mexican police so that in case of something not to get on the money.
Basic facts about Chichen Itza
- Chichen Itza literally means "The Well of the Itza Tribe": a well refers to large natural wells-senods, where sacrifices were allegedly made, and “itsa” is one of the varieties of the Mayan tribes.
- The city is located in the jungle of Yucatan away from the sea coast. Researchers believe that the choice of location was due to the presence of huge natural wells that served as a source of drinking water.
- believed to be Chichen Itza was founded in 514. At the end of the 10th century, the warlike tribe of the Toltecs captured Chichen Itza (perhaps the capture took place peacefully, by agreement), and it was after the arrival of the Toltecs that the most impressive buildings of the complex that have survived to this day were built.
- in its heyday, by the XII century AD. Chichen Itza occupied an area of about 10 square kilometers, which was inhabited by up to 30,000 people.
- in 1178 Chichen Itza was captured united army of three Indian states. However, like Teotihuacan, the decline of the history of Chichen Itza turned out to be very fast: at the very peak of development: at the end of the 12th century, all the inhabitants suddenly left the city, after which it began to rapidly collapse. The Spanish conquistadors found only the ruins of the once largest city region.
- Chichen Itza remained abandoned until in 1843 traveler John Stevenson did not accidentally stumble upon it. In the 1920s, extensive restoration work was carried out, and soon the complex was opened to the general public.
This is the official version of the history of Chichen Itza, however, as I have repeatedly mentioned, these figures and facts should be treated very skeptically, for which there are a number of reasons:
- what we see now in Chichen Itza is the result of hard work a large number restorers, who, of course, made a very beautiful picture, but left practically no chance to figure out in what form the Mayans first saw this city. The entrance to the pyramid is closed, and since 2006 it has become impossible to climb it.
- The “officially accepted” purpose of many of the surviving buildings raises many questions. So, in the sacrificial cenote, only about 100 bodies were found, and not young girls, but mostly children and men. The ball stadium strikes with proportions and stands out sharply from the whole row of buildings. It is simply impossible to observe anything in the starry sky from the so-called observatory. More details about this - below, in the section Walking around Chichen Itza.
- The dating of the structures is based on data from the Maya chronicles. Representatives of academic science willingly refer to this, but at the same time they forget to mention that the Mayan calendar does not make it possible to accurately date events. The Mayan calendar includes a so-called "short cycle" (52 years), within which each event is dated very accurately, and a "long cycle" (which covers a period of several million years). It is far from always possible to understand what kind of 52-year cycle we are talking about, especially when the annals tell about some events that are very remote in time. So it turns out that the year 520 or 1040 will be recorded in the annals in the same way, if the chronicler did not leave special references to the long cycle, which was done extremely rarely.
It is customary in the scientific literature to admire the knowledge and achievements of the Mayan civilization, ranging from an extremely accurate calendar to detailed astronomical knowledge, but there is no evidence that the Maya created this knowledge. Moreover, the artifacts of the Mayan civilization that have come down to us just make us doubt this. So, the Maya did not know the wheels - while their logic of their calendar is best illustrated precisely by three round gears of different diameters:
How the Mayan calendar works In one of the following publications, I will talk in detail about the oddities of the Mayan calendar, which, of course, deserve a separate analysis.
Temple of Kukulkan - the dominant of Chichen Itza
Entering the complex, you find yourself on one of several paths leading to the pyramid.
The entrance to the complex is marked with the letter E. There is also paid parking, which must be paid separately. We took advantage of the free parking, about 500-600 meters away from the entrance. Throughout Chichen Itza, along the paths, there are stalls of merchants with numerous souvenirs. Prices are reasonable, not too high compared to Cancun, but the abundance of stalls spoils and belittles the atmosphere of the place.
Soon the path leads you to an open area, in the middle of which rises the most famous pyramid Chichen Itza is the Temple of the Feathered Serpent Kukulkan (Castillo de Kukulcan), which is the absolute dominant of the complex. As I already said, it is strictly forbidden to climb the pyramid, which is monitored by numerous security guards of the complex.
Interesting Facts about the temple of Kukulkan:
- the pyramid is composed of 9 levels (steps), at its top is a sanctuary.
- the temple has four sides, on each of which a staircase leads to the top, each of which has 91 steps. In total, this gives 364 steps (4 * 91), which, in total with the platform at the top, gives 365 - the number of days in a year.
- as in Teutihuacan, the faces of the pyramid have a slight deviation from the current cardinal points, which indicates their "antediluvian" character (i.e. it can be said with certainty that the pyramid - or at least the ancient building on this site - was built before , as a result of a cataclysm about 13,000 years ago, the earth's poles shifted).
- The edges of the stairs are made in the shape of the head of the feathered serpent Kukulkan. All sites vying with each other write that on the days of the equinox an interesting effect is created due to the play of light - at sunrise it seems as if a snake is crawling along the pyramid. These days in Chichen Itza there is always an increased influx of tourists and local residents who want to see this phenomenon. By the way, you can admire it a few days before or after the equinox (because the effect does not appear at once and does not disappear immediately).
I have personally watched some of the most popular videos depicting this moment, and I can say for sure that the event was sucked from the finger. Yes, the shadow is visible, but it is practically motionless. At the same time, the people around are like at a football match, so you can’t really see anything.
- The Maya built pyramids like nesting dolls - so, inside this pyramid there is an older one, the existence of which became known only at the beginning of the 20th century. Unfortunately, there are no open studies of this pyramid (proponents of alternative history believe that this is due to the impossibility of inscribing individual artifacts from this ancient pyramid in the official version of history).
- at the top of the pyramid is a temple of the jaguar, inside which was found a wooden throne with the image of a jaguar with jade spots:
Wooden throne in the form of a red jaguar At the time of its discovery by Europeans in the 19th century, the temple of Kukulkan was a pile of stones and looked something like this:
Huge ball stadium
In addition to the temple of Kukulkan, towering over the area, the complex impresses with another building, unlike anything else. We are talking about, as it is called, a giant ball stadium. It is truly different from other stadiums and sports grounds. giant size. It is almost impossible to imagine ordinary people of our size playing on it.
According to a common academic version, the goal of the game was to kick a ball stuffed with grass into this ring (see photo above).
The stadium was also badly damaged (see photo from the middle of the 19th century before restoration):
There are many legends around the ancient Mayan ball game, which differ only in one thing: who was beheaded - the winning team or the losing team. These scenes are depicted in multiple bas-reliefs surrounding the field.
Right next to the stadium was the Temple of the Jaguar, in which, according to Indian chronicles, a sacrifice was made after a ball game:
Temple of the Jaguar in the background Of course, it was not without the image of Kukulkan - the Feathered Serpent, who was the main deity of the Maya:
By the way, for me, Kukulkan is very reminiscent of the ancient Chinese dragon - but here the question immediately arises, what kind of connection could exist between South America and China in ancient times.
Other buildings
Among other buildings of Chichen Itza, the Temple of Warriors can also be distinguished:
On a set of columns there was a wooden roof.
We are in the role of the famous Asian monkeys: I see nothing, I hear nothing, I will not tell anyone anything Nearby is the so-called "place of a thousand columns", where there was trade under palm leaves (there was something like a market):
Group of a Thousand Columns at Chichen Itza Cenotes of Chichen Itza
Traveling to Chichen Itza brought a new word into my vocabulary - cenote. So huge natural wells are designated, in which groundwater accumulates from underground rivers. Cenotes on earth are quite rare, which is associated with the specifics of their formation in limestone earth rocks.
There are many such cenotes on the Yucatan Peninsula. Two cenotes are located directly on the territory of the Chichen Itza complex, but there are several located a little further.
There is a widespread version according to which one of the cenotes was used by the ancient Maya for sacrifices. It is now called the Holy Synod. Here, allegedly, young virgins were dumped to appease the gods.
Sacred Cenote at Chichen Itza However, a detailed study of the bottom of the cenote, undertaken at the beginning of the 20th century by the American archaeologist Edward Thompson, showed that this is nothing more than a beautiful myth for naive tourists. He managed to find only 50 bodies, of which most were men and children. Antiquity researcher Andrey Sklyarov put forward a version that these remains are in no way connected with sacrifices, but are only the result of accidents (for example, when children were sent to the well for water, and they fell off a cliff).
Most of the Yucatán cenotes are not as gloomy as this one, and some of them are even suitable for swimming. Usually tourists go to swim in Cenote Ik Kil, which is located 5 kilometers from Chichen Itza.
Bathing in Cenote Ik Kil The most convenient way to get to it is by car, using the navigator. You need to go towards the city of Valladolid, the lapel to the cenote itself will be indicated by a sign. The cost of swimming in the cenote is 70 pesos per person. We changed in the cars, although you can use the locker rooms on the territory of the complex. Young children are given vests for rent for an additional fee - they must be taken, because there are a lot of people in the cenote, and the depth is great.
By the way, according to one version, the rapid departure of the inhabitants of Chichen Itza is associated with a sharp drop in the water level in the cenotes, which served as the only source of drinking water.
Chichen Itza is open from 09:00 to 17:00. It is advisable to arrive in Chichen Itza early in the morning, before the city is flooded with tourist groups. The second option is to arrive in the evening, closer to closing. In both cases, there are more chances to take good photos and enjoy this place. There is also the option to stay for the evening show (held every day at 19:00 in spring and winter and 20:00 in summer), which costs 98 pesos per person.
If you arrive during rush hour, be prepared to stand 30-35 minutes for tickets at the box office. Of course, it is impossible to buy tickets online.
At the entrance to the Chichen Itza complex, you will be offered various additional services, and this will be done immediately after the exit from the toll road. Do not buy or pay for anything other than official tickets. An entrance ticket to Chichen Itza is bought at the box office right at the entrance to the complex and costs 204 pesos (for both adults and children).
The peso to ruble exchange rate in October 2018 was 3.5 rubles per 1 peso.
It takes 3-4 hours to explore and walk around the complex, of which 2-2.5 hours will be spent on viewing the central complex itself, and 1-1.5 hours for swimming in the nearby Cenote Ik Kil.
Over Chichen Itza, as in other places archaeological sites Mexico, quadcopter flights are strictly prohibited. Vigilant security makes sure that they are not carried through and turns violators towards the storage room.
By the way, we still launched a quadcopter over the pyramid, we just did it from the ring road. True, we lost our caution, flew very brazenly, descending low over the pyramid, and we were very quickly identified. If you want to launch a quadcopter there, do it from secluded place(not in the middle of the road), because in this case, the guards will quickly find you. We barely managed to avoid a fine, and the guard forced us to erase all the information from the camera.
I take this opportunity to say hello to him and send rays of gratitude to the authors of utilities that allow you to recover deleted files from flash cards:
The central pyramid of Chichen Itza, taken in the rays of the setting sun In general, Chichen Itza is definitely a must-see for all tourists coming to Cancun. The spirit of antiquity is felt here, despite the shopping malls throughout the complex and the lack of access to the most interesting parts of the pyramid.
In the next article I will tell about the ancient city of Tulum where we stopped on our way back from Chichen Itza to Cancun. Subscribe to blog updates so you don't miss new posts.
Chichen Itza's city Latin America located on the Yucatan Peninsula. This is the real center of the Mayan civilization. It is located 120 km from Merida and has many architectural monuments. The UNESCO organization recognized Chichen Itza as a world cultural heritage site, now this city is extremely popular among tourists.
Story
The history of Chichen Itza dates back to the 5th-6th centuries. This city immediately becomes the center of the Yucatan, with regards to culture, politics and religion. The number of inhabitants here reached 30 thousand, the city became a center of pilgrimage, merchants and wanderers came here. First, the Mayan tribes lived here, then Chichen Itza was captured by the Toltecs.
The rulers of the Mayan tribes have always increased their power and influence, so the fact of the collapse of the empire seems strange. The inhabitants simply left the city. There was a drought, problems with the harvest, famine. But even this does not explain the collapse of civilization. In the annals of the Spaniards, the Maya appear as a tribe with primitive foundations, so the conquerors very quickly managed to take matters into their own hands.
In the 15th century, cattle grazed here, although earlier the territory was crowded and rich. In the middle of the 19th century, people began to show interest in Maya culture. Historians and cultural figures were very interested in the place. Excavations began to be carried out here, and in the 20th century it was decided to restore the original appearance of this place.
sights
We present to your attention a description of the main attractions Mexican city. You can also appreciate the city of Chichen Itza in the photo.
The sights of Chichen Itza are not limited to this list. There are wonderful platforms, columns, places with amazing views. The ruins of 4 colonnades form a huge rectangle called the "Group of a Thousand Columns". Statues representing various deities are well preserved here. For those who are interested in history, the city becomes a real find. 
How to get there?
We have analyzed where Chichen Itza is located, now it remains to understand how to get there. You can go to these places as part of a tour group. It can be ordered at any hotel. It will cost less than traveling on your own, it will be possible to visit several places at once, see the sights. But in this case, you will be traveling with a large group of tourists, time will be limited. You may not have time to pay due attention to the details that are interesting to you. And you are unlikely to see a night light show with sound. There is an option to hire a personal guide, the tour can be individual.
Another option is to go to Chichen Itza on the ADO bus. It can be done:
1) bus Cancun - Chichen Itza: ~3 hours on the way;
2) from Playa del Carmen the road will take 4 hours;
3) from Merida can be reached in 1.5 hours.
Depending on the place of departure, tickets can cost 140-320 pesos, prices change regularly, so it is advisable to familiarize yourself with them in advance.
The third way to come to Chichen Itza is to rent a car. Along the way, you can see many sights. If you are leaving from Cancun, there will be 2 roads, paid and free.
You need to come to Chichen Itza as early as possible. The complex opens at 8 am and is only open until 5 pm. In the evening, there is a light show that starts at 7 (winter) or 8 (summer) pm. Tickets are not cheap, but there really is something to see.
The ancient city of Chichen Itza, Mexico (Yucatan Peninsula) is a storehouse of information about the life of ancient tribes, their culture, traditions and customs. No wonder the pyramid became a wonder of the world in the new list, adopted in 2007. This is a place that everyone should visit, especially if you are interested in history. Moreover, it is beautiful and very atmospheric!
