The city of Chichen Itza was once an important commercial and ceremonial center. It is believed that it was built between 600 and the end of the first millennium AD. The Maya Indians were good mathematicians, engineers and astronomers, which is proved by the buildings preserved here. If you want to see as much as possible, we advise you to arrive early - at 11.00 crowds are already gathering here. Remember that closer to noon it will become unbearably hot, and there is practically no shade here.
You can see the temple of El Castillo, built in the form of a pyramid and dedicated to the god Kukulkan (Quetzalcoatl), depicted as a feathered serpent with a human head. It is claimed that this serpent sliding down from the pyramid can be seen twice a year - on the spring and autumn equinoxes. (September 21 and March 21). At three o'clock in the afternoon, the rays of the sun illuminate the western balustrade of the main staircase of the pyramid in such a way that light and shadow form an image of seven isosceles triangles, which, in turn, make up the body of a thirty-seven-meter snake, "creeping" as the sun moves to its own head, carved at the base of the stairs . The phenomenal performance lasts about 3.5 hours and gathers a lot of people. In ancient times, the appearance of a snake served as signals for the start of sowing cereals or harvesting.
Don't miss the opportunity to see also preserved fragments of the large ball court, Juego de Pelota (Juego de Pelota); it was more than modern football fields, and the balls flew into the air to a height of 6 m! Here they forced to play captives captured in wars; it is not known who was then sacrificed - the winners or the losers, but it is known for certain that their heads, along with many others, were displayed on peaks on the Skull Wall, Tsompantli (Tzompantli).
However, not all the remains of the sacred victims ended up here. Sacred cenote, Cenote Sagrado (Cenote Sogrado)- an impressive natural well 90 m in diameter, in which researchers found not only gold ingots and jadeite jewelry, but also children's skeletons. Looking into the abyss 20 m deep, you can imagine the horror that the condemned experienced before they were sacrificed to the gods of rain, and 170 km (about 3 hours journey) from Cancun (Cancun) on the way to Merida (Merida). 8.00-17.00 daily. Buses run frequently from Cancun and other resorts in the Riviera Maya. They usually carry organized excursions. From Cozumel and the island of Mujeres, many tourists arrive directly with luggage to go home the same day - it's cheaper and less tiring.
What to watch
- "Temple of Kukulkan" - 9-step pyramid (height 24 meters) with wide stairs on each side. (During the spring and autumn equinoxes (March 20 and September 22) at about three o'clock in the afternoon, the rays of the sun illuminate the western balustrade of the main staircase of the pyramid in such a way that light and shadow form an image of seven isosceles triangles, which, in turn, make up the body of a thirty-seven-meter snake, "creeping" as the sun moves to its own head, carved at the base stairs.);
- "Temple of warriors in Chichen Itza" on a low 4-step pyramid and "Temple of Jaguars" (both with wall paintings);
- Observatory "Karakol";
- 7 "stadiums" for ball games ("Large field for playing ball" (Huego de Pelota)- the largest playground ever created by the Maya. The length of the playing field reaches 135 m. There is some evidence that a certain cruelty accompanied the game of the ball.);
- Ruins of 4 colonnades forming a giant rectangle ("Group of a Thousand Columns");
- Sacred cenote - a natural well about 50 m deep, which served for sacrifices.
- Statues of deities with a characteristic stylization of plastic forms, reliefs rich in floral and geometric ornamentation, works of small plastic arts and artistic crafts, etc., have also been preserved.
History
During their heyday, the Maya managed to build many architectural monuments that amaze us with their size and beauty. The pearl of this treasure is the temple of Chichen Itza, located on the Yucatan Peninsula in southern Mexico. It is believed that Chichen Itza was erected in the second half of the first millennium, when the Mayan rulers ordered the construction Big city around three natural reservoirs. Thanks to the underground springs that fed the lakes, the population of the city all year round had plenty of water.
Tens of thousands of Maya participated in the construction of the city, intended for rulers and priests with their families. Ordinary members of the tribe lived in adobe huts and worked tirelessly in the fields, providing the city with grain and meat and serving the ruling elite.
The Mayan rulers gained strength every year, so the sudden collapse of their empire at the end of the 9th century. seems all the more strange and surprising. Apparently, at this time Chichen Itza was simply abandoned by its inhabitants. Scientists have found signs of disaster such as drought, crop failure and famine, or a combination of all three, but this does not explain such a rapid decline of a powerful civilization. Only a small part of the Mayan Indians survived - so that in the 16th century. be under the heel of Spain. The Spanish chronicles mention the Maya as a primitive tribe living on the fruits of the surrounding jungle. Not surprisingly, the European conquerors very quickly became masters of the situation.
The power of the ruler of Chichen Itza was symbolized by his throne, erected on the top of the pyramid of Kukulkan. With a height of 30 m, it dominates all surrounding buildings. The most complex iconography, as well as the numerical proportions embedded in the building, indicate that the Maya possessed extensive technical knowledge. The pyramid itself can be considered an example of the "magic of numbers" used by the Maya. On its basement floor there are 4 flights of stairs, 91 steps each. 4 X 91+1 (basement itself)= 365, the number of days in a year. Opposite the pyramid of Kukulkan stands the Temple of the Warriors (Templos de los Guerreros). Its attraction is the Hall of 1000 columns, supposedly serving as a barracks. Its rear doors open onto a 91 x 36 m ball court.
Images of snakes are ubiquitous in all the buildings of Chichen Itza. Kukulkan, "the serpent-creeping-from-the-tower", and Quetzalcoatl, "the feathered serpent", were considered by the Maya as the main deities. And faith in them could not be destroyed even by the collapse of the state itself. When in the 16th century the Spaniards landed in the Yucatan, the feathered serpent was still considered the main deity among the descendants of the Maya and the Mexican Aztecs.
Chronology
- OK. 435-455: According to the much later Chumayel chronicle, Chichen Itza was founded between 435 and 455. AD It is believed that the city was abandoned by the inhabitants by the end of the 9th century. The Toltecs conquered it in 987.
- 999: The Mayan ruler of Tula, named Quetzalcoatl after the chief deity, died.
- 1533: The Yucatan is conquered by the Spaniards.
- 1841-1842: The explorations of John Stevens marked the beginning of the scientific study of Chichen Itza.
- 1904-1907: Speleologists discover a spring deemed "holy" or "mystical".
- 1923: Start of systematic excavations at Chichen Itza. F 1988: Chichen Itza is inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
History city of Chichen Itza, which in a short time became one of the main centers of the Mayan civilization and just as quickly fell into almost absolute oblivion, is still waiting for its researchers. Archaeologists have recreated some of the main monuments of the city, since the main Cyclopean buildings were built to last and are well preserved. Historians are trying to reconstruct its chronology. But in general, the rapid rise of the city and its no less rapid decline are still one big mystery.
The city is located in modern Mexico, various researchers interpret the name Chichen Itza in their own way. They agree on only one thing - with this name, the Mayans emphasized the importance of a huge natural well located in these places ("chen" in the Mayan languages \u200b\u200b meant "source of water", "well", mouth"). In the arid climate of the Yucatan Peninsula, on which the city was located, the presence of an uninterrupted source of water gave locality key value.
Talking about the mystery of the city Chichen Itza and the Mayan civilization in general, you should not delve too deeply into conspiracy theories. Everything is much easier. In the 16th century, the Spanish colonialists, who brought the light of civilization to the lands inhabited by wild peoples, diligently supported this light with the flame of ancient manuscripts. They cleaned up the documents so thoroughly that to this day, researchers are restoring the possible purpose of the surviving buildings literally bit by bit. And if the Spaniards had at least primitive bulldozers at their disposal, we, quite possibly, would never have known about the amazing Mayan structures.
However, by the time the Europeans arrived in Latin America, the Mayan civilization was already in ruins. Founded around the 6th century AD, Chichen Itza was abandoned and abandoned in the second half of the 11th century. A highly developed civilization was ruined by internal conflicts and fratricidal wars. The rise and fall of the Mayan civilization was separated by some 500 years ... The divided Maya were defeated by the Toltecs without much difficulty. The conquerors built up northern part cities. In the 14th century, the Maya managed to unite and recapture Chichen Itza, but this was their last success before the arrival of the Spaniards. The Europeans found the city already as a place of pilgrimage for residents from the surrounding settlements.
Even during the period of time allotted by history, the Maya managed to become a technically and culturally developed people. The cult buildings preserved in Chichen Itza, including the Mayan pyramids, testify not only to their serious technical ability but also about deep knowledge in the sciences.
For instance, Pyramid of Kukulkan, which is the main attraction of Chichen Itza, is not only a temple. It is a combination of an observatory with a laboratory. The ascent to the temple, located at the top of the tetrahedral pyramid, passes through four staircases of 91 steps. Thus, the number of steps, if you add a balustrade to them, is exactly 365. Moreover, the pyramid is so oriented in space that on the days of the equinoxes the shadows from the ledges form an image of a feathered serpent. On the day of the spring equinox, the shadow rises, and on the day of the autumnal equinox, it falls. Thousands of people gather to look at this optical effect. The Maya did not forget about acoustics either - a word uttered at the top of the pyramid, even in a low voice, is perfectly heard at its foot.
A wide staircase leads to the temple, resting on the statue of Chuck Mool. Apparently, sacrifices were made at its foot. The walls of the temple are also decorated with drawings of Mayan warriors and deities, including Kukulkan.
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A little further north of the Kukulkan pyramid is the Sacred Cenote. Most likely, it was from this giant well that the history of Chichen Itza began. The water in the funnel with a diameter of about 60 meters never dries up. Despite the paucity of information about Chichen Itza, talk of large-scale sacrifices in the Sacred Cenote has reached the present, and the well has been explored several times in search of precious finds. Contrary to expectations, little gold, which the Mayans allegedly threw into the well to appease the gods, was found. The bulk of the sacrifices were made of obsidian and ceramic jewelry. The researchers were greatly impressed by the human bones found at the bottom of the Sacred Cenote, which confirmed the thesis of Maya human sacrifices. There is another similar source of water in the city, called Cenote Shtolok, however, due to its small size, it apparently was not an object of worship and was used exclusively as a source of water.
Mayan human sacrifices were performed not only to appease the gods responsible for natural phenomena. The ball court, located in Chichen Itza, is designed in a spirit that does not allow for other interpretations, except for the notorious "Winner Takes All".
The lack of proper dexterity was punishable by death - the drawings on the walls of the ancient stadium show teams of seven people proudly holding the severed heads of rivals in their hands.
To the northwest of the Pyramid of Kukulkan, next to the playground, is the Temple of the Jaguars. Like the Temple of the Warriors, it is richly decorated with murals, and gets its name from the prevailing designs. According to some assumptions, it was a kind of VIP boxes in modern football stadiums - a place from where noble Mayans watched sports matches with comfort.
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Next to the Temple of the Jaguars is Tzompantli - a structure apparently recognized to frighten the enemies of the Maya. Otherwise, this building is called the Temple of the Skulls - one of its walls is entirely made of human heads. The rest of the walls are decorated with drawings glorifying the wisdom of the gods and the bravery of the Mayan warriors.
In the southwest of Chichen Itza, archaeologists discovered a small ten-meter pyramid, called the Tomb of the High Priest. At its top there are tombstones that testify to the burials of at least seven representatives of the noble families of the Maya. Under the pyramid was found almost vertical underground passage. It leads to a cave in which the remains of the dead were located, providing them with various utensils and decorations.
Approximately the same recognizable symbol of Chichen Itza as the pyramid of Kukulkan is El Caracol. This huge (measuring 52 by 67 meters) structure was erected on a giant platform, which is crowned by a building with a semicircular tower. Due to the shape of the tower, El Caracol is considered to be an observatory. Some scientists believe that the windows in the tower helped to observe the position in the sky of Venus. This allegedly helped the Maya streamline agricultural work. But regardless of its purpose, El Caracol at the same time impresses both with its scale and elegance of construction.
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In 2007, the city of Chichen Itza, which is the second most popular archaeological site in Mexico, was rightly recognized as one of new wonders of the world. It is located in a densely populated part of the country. Tourism infrastructure is developed in and around the city. It is better to get to Chichen Itza from the cities of Merida or Cancun along the highway. In the city itself, due to its size (6 sq. km.), You need to use a map or guide services. The months from October to April are most suitable for visiting - in summer a trip to Latin America aggravated by the sweltering heat.
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 that 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. Ancient city Maya is very popular with 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.
Chuck Mool
Inside the temple, outwardly, everything is calmer and does not remind of a cruel past. There are many sculptures and frescoes, familiar images of snakes, jaguars, eagles. The warriors on the reliefs of the temple depict typical Indians of that time. They move in a march or stand majestically in place. The frescoes depict the history of the Mayan capture by the Toltecs, as well as the peaceful life of the inhabitants of this place. The Temple of the Warriors is undoubtedly one of the most interesting structures for studying the Maya-Toltec culture.
And although after the defeat the city fell into decay, the rudiments of a great civilization retained their cultural heritage and passed it on to their descendants. Chichen Itza in Mexico is indeed one of the the most unique places our planet.
Video about Chichen Itza
Translated from the language of local tribes " Chichen Itza” means “The mouth of the well of the Itza tribe” or “The mouth of the well of the sorcerers of water.” Chichen Itza is an object world heritage UNESCO, and the pyramid of El Castillo (Kukulkan) located here, has been declared one of the new seven wonders of the world. Chichen Itza is the most famous and at the same time the best preserved ancient city of Yucatan.
In Mexico, the legendary city is the second most visited by tourists among the ancient sites. It is estimated that more than a million people devote it every year. The most numerous influx of tourists is celebrated twice a year, on the days of the spring (March 21-22) and autumn equinox (September 21-22). These days there is a play of light and shadow, when at sunset the shadow from the corner of the stepped terraces of the pyramid of El Castillo creates the illusion of a crawling snake. These days, so many people gather in Chichen Itza that it is unlikely that you will be able to clearly see the play of light and shadow. A week before and a week after these dates, the effect of light and shadow remains almost the same.
However, in Lately, due to the huge attendance of Chichen Itza, many note that the ancient city has become such a tourist and commercialized center that during its visit there is no way to feel the magic ancient culture due to the crowds of tourists and souvenir sellers located on the territory of the complex. Chichen Itza was most famous in the world in 2012, when, according to the Mayan calendar, on December 21, the end of the world was supposed to come. A huge number of people from different countries rushed to Mexico in Chichen Itza to meet a significant date. Some TV companies broadcast live from the scene. The cost of one night in some hotels located near the archaeological complex reached several thousand dollars. In order to catch Chichen Itza without crowds of tourists, it is better to come to the opening of the complex by 8 in the morning, when the tour groups have not yet arrived.
Chichen Itza map
The land on which Chichen Itza is located was transferred to state ownership on March 30, 2010. On this day, the deal was completed, after negotiations between Governor Yvonne Ortega Pacheco and landowner Hans Jurgen Thies Barbachano, to purchase the 83-hectare land on which the ancient city is located, for $ 17.8 million. It was reported that the landowner himself insisted on selling, in order to preserve the legacy of the Yucatan.
History
It is not possible to completely reliably describe the history of Chichen Itza, since the policy of the Spanish conquerors included the destruction of manuscripts and the murder of Mayan priests. It is believed that people settled this place in the 4th century, and in the 7th century the first buildings began to be built and an urban community appeared. Maya Indians lived here from the 7th to the 10th century. In the 10th century, it was captured by the Toltecs, who did not destroy the city, but absorbed part of its culture into themselves. It was during the reign of the Toltecs that Chichen Itza became the most powerful city on the Yucatan Peninsula. In the middle of the 11th century, Chichen Itza became the capital of the Toltec state. In 1178, the city was captured by the combined army of three city-states - Mayapan, Ushmal and Itzmal, led by Hunak Keel. After 1194, the city was completely deserted for unknown reasons and overgrown with jungle.
The mysterious city was rediscovered by archaeologists in 1920. The ancient structures were cleared and reconstructed, and the archaeological complex began to attract tourists.
Chichen Itza attractions
Unfortunately, since the beginning of 2006, climbing the ancient structures is prohibited, with the exception of a few specially marked places.
Pyramid of El Castillo (Pyramid of Kukulkan)
The main attraction of Chichen Itza is the pyramid of El Castillo and this is no accident. When Chichen Itza was conquered by the Toltecs, they combined their knowledge of cosmology with that of the Maya, resulting in El Costillo. The pyramid is dedicated to Kukulkan, the god of wind and rain in the form of a feathered serpent with a human head. Built a thousand years ago, El Castillo is the main symbol of Chichen Itza and possibly the entire Yucatan. This is one of the most famous and visited structures in Mexico in pre-Columbian America. In 2007, the monument was included in the list of new seven wonders of the world.
The architecture of the 24 meter pyramid is filled with symbolism connected with cosmology and the calendar of the ancient Indians. The four stairs leading to the top and the central platform have 91 steps each, which gives a total of 364. This corresponds to the number of days in a 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 calendar. The Maya calendar consisted of two cycles: 365 day Xiupoually and 260 day Tonalpoualli. These two cycles coincided every 52 years. On each of the four sides of the pyramid are 52 stone bas-reliefs. Which personify the coincidence of these cycles every 52 years.
Juego de Pelita ball court
In total, there are nine ball courts in Chichen Itza. The main and largest of them is the Juego de Pelita. It is the largest and best preserved Indian ball court in all of Mesoamerica. It is 168 meters long and 70 meters wide. The site has a unique acoustic effect, if you speak at one end of the site, then everything will be heard at the other. If you clap your hands, the clap will echo, which some compare to the cry of a bird. It is believed that the Indians accidentally achieved such an effect during construction, but when they discovered it, they brought it to perfection.
How the Mayans, Toltecs and Aztecs played ball
How exactly the ball was played and what the rules were is not known for certain, but most historians agree that the game looked like this.
The game was played with a rubber ball (in some cases it is said to be a human head), which could only be touched by knees, elbows and a carved bat. The ball had to be thrown into one of the rings that were on the left and right walls, one on each side. The hole diameter of the ring was a little over size ball. The field was divided in half and the players of each team had to be each in their own half of the field. The team that hit the ring with the ball won, and each hit on the ring itself was counted as a penalty point. Since it was extremely difficult to get into the ring, the game could last for hours, and sometimes the result was determined by the number of penalty points, since not one of the teams managed to score the ball into the ring. At the end of the game, the captain of the winning team would cut off the head of the captain of the losing team, and sometimes the heads of the entire losing team would be cut off. Sometimes the game had a ritual meaning in order for the priests to make a certain decision.
To the right of the ball court is the Temple of the Skulls (Tzompantli). The name comes from the image of skulls carved on a stone platform. Near this temple, severed heads were planted on a pole in a row.
Temple of the Warriors
The temple of warriors is a five-step pyramid, 11.5 meters high, on top of which there is a temple building. It consists of a front hall and a sanctuary, the entrance to which is decorated with a portal carved from stone, writhing snakes. The sanctuary contains a low stone altar in the form of a table supported by small human figures. In the open area of the sanctuary stands a stone idol of the demon Chak-Mool in the form of a reclining man with a tray on his stomach for sacrifices. It is believed that most often they put a heart in it. The Temple of Warriors itself is surrounded on three sides by columns made in the form of warriors, hence the name of the temple.
El Caracol Observatory
El Caracol is the largest discovered ancient astronomical complex in the Yucatan Peninsula. From the observatory, the Indians observed celestial objects, calculated the spring and autumn days of the equinox, the day of the summer solstice, and it is likely that it was here that they created their predictions. Observations were carried out through special holes made in the round vault of the observatory. The round arch of the observatory was rebuilt several times during the operation of the observatory.
The observatory was named El Caracol, as the Spanish word means snail, which is associated with the spiral staircase inside El Caracol.
sacred cenote
The Yucatan Peninsula is a limestone plain without rivers or streams. The only source of fresh water was the cenotes, in which groundwater came to the surface. The cenotes are karst formation- lakes, wells, and sometimes entire cave complexes with underground rivers and sometimes access to the sea.
But the Indians did not always use cenotes to get water, in some cases they played a ritual role. Donations were thrown here and human sacrifices were made in them. It was believed that the cenote is a kind of portal through which you can get to God. The priests, after certain ceremonies, sent the “chosen ones” to meet with God, and more often they were not pleasing people and for a long time watched the victim, so that she would not be on the surface of the water, helping her go to God with the help of stones. Taking into account the fact that there was not a small distance from the surface of the water to the ground and the fact that the priests were closely monitoring that their tribesman would definitely get to God for a long time, it was almost impossible to get out of the cenote. The only known Indian who somehow got out of the Sacred Cenote is Hunak Keel. Subsequently, under his leadership in 1178, Chichen Itza was captured. Sacred cenote of Chichen Itza, located 5-10 minutes walk from El Castillo. Professor at Harvard University and American Consul in Merida, Herbert Thompson explored the Sacred Cenote from 1904 to 1910 and recovered many ancient artifacts from gold, jade ceramics, rubber, obsidian, as well as human remains. Subsequently, most of the discovered treasures ended up in the Peabody Museum of Archeology and Ethnology at Harvard University.
Some tours do not include a visit to the Sacred Cenote.
Osario (Osario)
Osario means cemetery in Spanish. Osario at Chichen Itza is not a large step pyramid with a temple on top. Like El Castillo it has four faces with stairs on each side. But unlike El Castillo in Osario, there is a hole in the center that leads to a cave, 12 meters deep below ground level. Herbert Thompson excavated this cave in the 19th century and found several artifacts and skeletons in it. Thompson called the pyramid the Tomb of the High Priest (Tumba del Gran Sacerdote), since then it has had two names.
Chichen Itza hotels
For serious lovers historical monuments it is recommended to avoid a one-day visit to Chichen Itza and spend at least one night in a nearby hotel. This must be done for two reasons: firstly, you will have the opportunity to visit the archaeological complex in the morning, when there are no tourist groups yet, and secondly, to watch the sound and light shows that take place in the evenings.
In the vicinity of Chichen Itza there are a number of hotels of different price categories. Chichen Itza search for cheap hotels
Chichen Itza how to get there
Chichen Itza is a popular tourist complex; getting to it is not difficult. This can be done both independently and as part of a tourist group. Usually when excursion tour Chichen Itza also includes visits to several other attractions, for example, it can be Cenote Ik-Kil and the city of Valladolid.
When visiting Chichen Itza as part of a tourist group, there are pros and cons. The pros are that as part of a tourist group, you will visit several places at once, and all this will most likely cost you less if you travel by yourself on the ADO bus, buy a ticket to the archaeological complex and possibly hire a guide. The main disadvantage when visiting as part of a tour group is that you will be visiting Chichen Itza along with a bunch of other tourists and the time for visiting will be strictly regulated. There will also be no opportunity to visit the evening show of sound and light.
How to get to Chichen Itza on your own
From Cancun, the ADO bus takes about three hours and costs 236 pesos (about $20) one way.
From Playa del Carmen on the ADO bus, the journey takes about four hours and costs 316 pesos one way.
From Merida on the ADO bus, the journey takes about an hour and a half, the price is 142 pesos one way.
Fare prices may change, so it is better to check them on the company's website http://www.ado.com.mx.
Chichen Itza travel photo
Entrance to the archaeological complex of Chichen Itza.
Near the entrance to the complex are Mexicans dressed in the likeness of the Mayan Indians, with whom you can take pictures.
The main attraction of Chichen Itza, the pyramid of El Costillo, it is also called the pyramid of Kukulkan, as it was built in honor of Kukulkan, the god of wind and rain in the form of a feathered serpent with a human head.
Serpent's head against the backdrop of the pyramid of El Costillo.
Stairs leading to the top of the El Costillo pyramid. Direct access and the opportunity to climb the pyramid were closed in 2006.
Pyramid of El Costillo.
Pyramid of El Costillo.
Pyramid of El Costillo.
Pyramid of El Costillo.
The head of the feathered serpent and the pyramid of El Costillo.
The main ball court in Chichen Itza (Juego de Pelota), there are nine of them in the city. It is the largest and best preserved ball court in all of Mesoamerica.
The ring into which the players were supposed to score the ball.
El Caracol Observatory
The Spanish word El Caracol means a spiral staircase. Inside the observatory is a spiral staircase.
Temple of the Warriors
Chichen Itza is very tourist place and taking pictures against the backdrop of the El Castillo pyramid without tourists is very problematic. And even at the time of the closure, I could not do it.
Many sellers working in the territory of Chichen Itza come to work with their kids.
The archaeological complex of Chichen Itza is today very commercialized. On its territory, as well as nearby, there are many sellers of souvenirs, ponchos, sambrero, etc.
