As one of the largest and best-preserved archaeological sites in the world, Chichen Itza is home to a myriad of ancient Mayan marvels and rich cultural histories cherished by travelers across the globe.
What can we learn from Chichen Itza?
Chichen Itza, an ancient city in the heart of the Yucatan Peninsula, holds profound cultural significance as it unveils the mysteries of the Mayan civilization. From its architectural wonders to its religious rituals and social structure, Chichen Itza provides a window into the rich and complex heritage of the Maya.
Why is Chichen Itza so popular as a tourist attraction?
Today, some 2 million tourists visit Chichen Itza annually to explore its architectural wonders and gain further insight into Mayan history and culture. However, archeologists are still at work on the site.
Why do people like to visit Chichen Itza?
It is the site of an ancient Mayan metropolis, complete with a hulking pyramid, The Temple of Kukulcan. Chichen Itza is surrounded by about five square miles of visitor's park. It is well worth a tour as an attraction on its own or staying in nearby areas like Tulum or Cancun.
What is a lesser known secret about Chichen Itza?
One of the most interesting recent discoveries about Chichen is related to an essential aspect of Mayan life: water! In Chichen Itza, the cenotes are the only source of fresh water. These underground rivers are pure crystal water, a product of filtration through the limestone subsoil.
What God was Chichen Itza built?
KukulcanThe god is particularly associated with Chichen Itza where a large temple was built in his honour. Kukulcan is also the name of a 10th-century CE cultural hero in Yucatec Maya history, and he has a counterpart in the Toltec and Aztec histories where he carries the name Ce Acatl Topiltzin Quetzalcóatl.
Why is Chichen Itza so special?
Why are there 365 steps on Chichen Itza?
The Pyramid of El Castillo in Chichén Itzá was built to reflect the Mayan astronomical year. Each side has 91 steps with a final step at the top, so there are 365 steps total.
What’s inside Chichen Itza?
In the 1930s, however, a group of excavators began exploring and discovered that another pyramid-temple was nestled within the larger pyramid. Further excavations revealed that it had nine platforms, a single stairway, and a temple containing human remains, a jade-studded jaguar throne, and a so-called Chac Mool.
What was inside Chichen Itza?
In the 1930s, however, a group of excavators began exploring and discovered that another pyramid-temple was nestled within the larger pyramid. Further excavations revealed that it had nine platforms, a single stairway, and a temple containing human remains, a jade-studded jaguar throne, and a so-called Chac Mool.
What is the most famous Mayan myth?
The best-known hero myth, included in the Popol Vuh, is about the defeat of a bird demon and of the deities of disease and death by the Hero Twins, Hunahpu and Xbalanque.
Was kukulkan evil?
The same source relates how Kukulkan always travels ahead of the Yucatec Maya rain god Chaac, helping to predict the rains as his tail moves the winds and sweeps the earth clean. Among the Lacandon Maya of Chiapas, Kukulkan is an evil, monstrous snake that is the pet of the sun god.
What was sacrificed in Chichen Itza?
Maya priests in the city of Chichen Itza in the Yucatan peninsula sacrificed children to petition the gods for rain and fertile fields by throwing them into sacred sinkhole caves, known as "cenotes." The caves served as a source of water for the Mayans and were also thought to be an entrance to the underworld.
What is the legend of Chichen Itza?
Legend has it that the mythical Itzaes, a legendary tribe, founded Chichen Itza. According to Mayan folklore, the Itzaes possessed great knowledge and magical powers. Their influence on the city's architecture and culture is evident in the fusion of Toltec and Mayan's elements found throughout Chichen Itza.