In what country is Chichen Itza located? Of course, in Mexico! Chichen Itza - one of the main ones. The ancient Mayan city, located on the Yucatan Peninsula, is known to everyone who comes to this magical land. The pyramids of the ancient Mayans and Toltecs, numerous architectural monuments and proximity to - all this annually attracts millions of tourists from all over the world and makes Chichen Itza a real tourist capital Mexico.

Pyramids and ancient city Chichen Itza in Mexico

Chichen Itza is an ancient city in northern Mexico, located on the Yucatan Peninsula. The ancient Mayans and Toltecs lived in these places. At its very dawn, the population of the ancient city of Chichen Itza was 10 thousand, although some scientists believe that this number should be 2, or even 3 times larger. It is now included in the UNESCO heritage. Ancient objects are carefully protected.

The architecture of the city dates from the 6th to the 13th centuries. The Spaniards dismantled most of the ancient cities for building materials, but they did not touch Chechen Itza. You can admire the view at any time of the year. Unofficially, Chechen Itza is called the eighth wonder of the world. Opening hours from 8.00 to 18.00. Entrance to the territory costs 220 Mexican pesos, and guide services 750 pesos. Children under 12 years old do not need a ticket.

Chichen Itza is located in North America, country Mexico. On the map you need to find the Yucatan Peninsula, where the city is located. The neighbors of Chechen Itza are the cities of Cancun and - these are also popular tourist places. To get to these places by plane, you need to fly to where the nearest international airport is located. Flights are made both from Europe and directly from the capital Russian Federation, Moscow.

The map allows you to notice the main goal of many tourists - the Pyramid of Kukulkan. On the left side of it, 100 meters away, is the entrance to the city of Chechen Itza itself. There is also parking nearby.

How to get there from Cancun

To get to the city from Cancun, tourists and guests of the peninsula can use several accessible ways. For example:

1. The bus is the most practical transport. The journey will take a little more than 3 hours. Served by carrier ADO. Ticket prices range from 10 € to 16 €.
2. Ordering a transfer will cost from 30 € to 40 €. The car can be picked up directly from the airport, or from another place of stay, for example from a hotel.
3. By renting a car you can get there more comfortably and faster. The journey will take only 2 hours. To Chichen Itza you need to travel 200 km, which will take 16 liters of fuel. Gasoline will cost about 20 €.

Comfortable guided tour

Taking into account the cost of transfer and tickets, the most profitable option to visit Chichen Itza is to book a tour. For example, you can visit several attractions at once in a comfortable minibus with a Russian-speaking guide.

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How to get there from other regions

The bus from Merida is the same as from Cancun, it costs 6 €. You can comfortably travel from Valladolid by shuttle bus.

History of the city of Chichen Itza

The name has been widely used since Mayan times. In local languages, Chichen Itza can be translated as “At the mouth of the well of Itza”, or “The mouth of the well of the water sorcerers”. The particle Chi indicates the mouth or edge, chen means the source, or well. Itza is ancient people, who ruled the entire region near the city. The word Itza itself is often translated as “sorcerer.” If you break it down into two parts, Itz is a sorcerer, and ha is water.

The ancient documents available to us show that there are other options for the name of the city. For example, this is evidenced by the data of the Chilam-Bilam codex. At the same time, the incomplete discovery of the ancient dialect prevents us from establishing exactly what the city was called before the arrival of Itza. Today, several ancient names are known: Yuuk Yabnal, (Seven Great Houses), Yuuk Hab Nal (Seven Bushy Places), Yuukuabnal (Seven Great Rulers) and Uk Abnal (Seven Paths of Abnal).

History of discovery

History can be divided into two periods. The first lasted from the 7th to the 10th centuries, when the city belonged to the Maya tribe. The second began with the Toltec conquest of the area in the 10th century. The 11th century was marked by the granting of the status of the capital of the Toltec lands. But the city did not last long on the throne. The Mayans decided to take back the city. Hunak Keel gathered a skilled army from the cities of Mayapan, Uxmal and Itzmal. He led the campaign against Chichen Itza, which led to success in 1178.

Subsequently, due to unknown reasons, the city was completely destroyed and was abandoned. This happened in 1194. Although the Spaniards destroyed all the documents of the ancient tribes, historians have found that frequent attacks on the city weakened the people. The upper strata of society scattered to other places. From Spanish records it was established that the Indians went on pilgrimage to the ruins of the ancient city. Since the 15th century, the area has been used as pasture for livestock. It is unknown why the city was deserted. Some researchers talk about a terrible famine, others about a bloody war.

There is also an opinion that a terrible epidemic hit the residents and that the virus is still under the ruins of the city.

Be that as it may, everything changed with the arrival of the Spaniards. The 18th century was marked by various explorations and archaeological excavations. Even then, many artists and photographers came to capture the unique wealth of the Maya. And since the middle of the last century, the Mexican government issued a decree to globally restore the city of Chechen Itza to its original appearance. All possible work has been carried out and now it is an extremely popular place.

Attractions Chichen Itza

Located in the city of Chichen Itza great amount places of interest to tourists. If you come here as part of excursion program, then an experienced guide will tell you in detail about each attraction. In this article we will make a brief overview of the main architectural monuments that you simply cannot miss.

There are many interesting things in the city, but the Kukulkan pyramid stands apart from all famous places. The pyramid is one of the surviving ancient ones architectural structures ancient tribes. In Spanish there are such names: Pirámide de Kukulkán, Templo de Kukulkán, “El Castillo”. This is the name of the ancient pyramid of the feathered serpent. Kukulkan is a god similar to Quetzalloatl. The object immerses you in the times of the Mayan tribe. You can learn many exciting stories and retellings about how the worship of wondrous deities was carried out here. In their religion, blood was shed and cruel rituals were performed to appease the objects of worship. In essence, the pyramid is a sacred temple.

The pyramid is located in the center with a large area measuring 18 hectares. The temple is surrounded by a wide parapet made of stones. The size of the building itself is also impressive. The height is 24 meters, and if you take the top, then all 30. The length of each side measures 55 meters. All faces of the pyramid have 9 steps. On each of the four sides there are steep stairs, following which you can get to the top. The stairs are also oriented according to the cardinal directions. Each of them has 91 degrees, the total number of steps is 364. And if you add to this number the platform at the top, which combines 4 stairs, you get 365 - which indicates the number of days of the solar year.

The edge of the stairs is a stone fence in the form of a kite, the head of which is at the bottom and the body goes to the top. The size of the kite is 37 meters. An amazing show takes place here several days a year. When the autumn and spring equinoxes arrive, the shadow from the steps falls on the stones of the balustrade. At the same time, it seems that the Feathered Serpent is not just a sculpture, but a real reptile moving along the course. In spring in March the snake appears to be moving upward, and in autumn in September downward. This action lasts 3 hours 22 minutes.

It is noteworthy that the stairs are cut into two, that is, the number of sections on each side of the pyramid is 18. This number is symbolic and indicates the same number of months in the Mayan calendar year.

The temple has 9 ledges and this is not accidental. The Toltecs had their own beliefs about the “nine heavens.” Each wall of the temple has 52 stone reliefs, which represent 52 years - the Toltec calendar cycle.

Ruins of Chac-Mool in the north (Chacmools)

Ruins of Chac-Mul

This attraction in Chichen Itza includes sculptures that will not leave you indifferent. You can see altars, statues of Atlanteans and stone paintings. The architecture amazes the visitor's gaze.

Temple of the Warriors

Temple of Warriors

It is too unique building. It has been amazingly preserved. A visit encourages you to admire the ancient people and their approach to business. The atmosphere makes you feel like you are in the distant past. This is never forgotten.

The Hall of the Thousand Columns

In ancient times, this alley was a trade street. At the market, clever tribes even built a roof so that the weather would not interfere with trade. Previously, the building had a large hall. There were rows of crafts made of iron and ceramics. It was also possible to purchase simple household items. It was located near a large market.

Wall of Skulls (Tzompantli)

Although the name exudes some mysticism and horror, the picture of this object shows the opposite. The rock art that exists here is unique. Picturesque patterns and beautiful composition arouse considerable interest. At the same time, it is not completely known how ancient people used the Wall of Skulls.

Stadium (The Ball Courts)

Many people do not know that even before the invention of football by the British, the ancient Mayans used a similar ball game with all their might. The stadium was built over 3000 years ago. Of course, the purpose is very different from modern sports facilities. Back then, people held religious rituals at the stadium. And the losing football team immediately lost its life. They were executed and sacrificed to deities. The terrible picture is that the height of the walls did not allow the players to escape from their sad fate. And the leaders watched this picture from above. It's also creepy that a skull was used instead of a ball.

Chichen Itza has 7 sports facilities. The largest stadium is called "Huego de Pelota" (translated as "Large ball field"). The length of this field is 135 meters.

After visiting amazing sites ancient culture stadiums seem like a pretty boring place.

Temple of the Jaguars

It cannot be said that this temple is actually something unusual. The building is quite small in size. The most worth seeing is the jaguar sculpture that stands in front of the temple. This is the most significant attraction of the temple; besides it, there are no other features in the Temple of Jaguars.

Pyramid of Old Chichén

The name Old Chichen was not given in vain - this building is one of the oldest in the city. Amazing and appearance pyramids. She is beheaded. Nature contributed to this. During an ancient hurricane the top was destroyed. The restored steps are striking in beauty. Tourists would even like to climb the small pyramid, but this is not provided.

Observatory (Caracol)

Stunning building. I want to examine it in detail from different angles. There is a tower near the observatory, which is certainly an interesting object. You won't be able to climb the steps here either.

Church (Nunnery)

This is an amazing building. At least according to the Mayan Chenes style. And this is the most picturesque style of the ancient Mayan tribes. The ornaments amaze with their sophistication. For a tourist, this place should be a must visit place.

Sacred Cenote

The sacred cenote is located right within the old city of Chechen Itza. You need to work hard to find such a desired object... First you need to find Chichen Itza Park. Next, you need to leave behind the Kukulkan pyramid and to the left of the Platforma de Venus ruins there will be a sign to the cenote. It is important to look carefully at the signs indicating the way. The cenote is a natural well. The depth is approximately 50 m. It was used for sacrificial purposes. Girls and children, as well as various religious objects, were thrown there, asking the gods for rain.

Cenote Ik-Kil

Cenote Ik Kil

The cenote is located just 5 kilometers from the city. You can get there along highway 180. This one is very a nice place, worth it to go separately. Mexico can be proud of such facilities.

Shops and shopping near Chichen Itza

The closest shops to Chichen Itza are in Pista. Here you can find several grocery stores, butchers, restaurants and savings banks. Shops and their addresses along Dsitas-Piste street:

• Bootix de los mayas – goods for handicrafts;
• Taller la escondida – at the intersection with 5th street;
• Las sobrinas de la tia – restaurant at the intersection with street 5-A;
• Pollaria Suemi - grocery store closer to the intersection with 7th Street;
• Banco Azteca - between 7th and 9th streets;
• El Panal - at the intersection with 11th Street;
• Novedades Y Regalos El Arca is a gift shop at the intersection of 12th Street and Highway 180.

Along Highway 180 Costera del Golfo there are 4 Mexican restaurants, at the intersection with 22nd Street there is Marthas Pizzeria, and closer to the intersection with 18th Street there is a Tecate Six beer store.

The following shops and establishments are located along Highway 180:

• Maxicarne – meat products, on street 15-A;
• Neveria Basulto – at the intersection with 8th Street;
• Balam House – pizzeria at the intersection with street 6;
• Fruiteria Dorcy – food market, between 4th and 6th streets;
• Taller Mecanico “El Chino” – grocery store. Azteca – between 7th and 9th streets.

There are also museums, hotels and small hotels in Pista. Here you can buy everything you need at more affordable prices than in smaller resort towns. It is more profitable to purchase souvenirs and food products in larger cities. From Chichen Itza to Piste the distance is about two kilometers, so a shopping trip will not be difficult and will not take much time, even if you do walking along the Merida-Valladorit highway. At a distance of 4 km in the opposite direction from Piste, the town of Kh-Kalakoop is located. There are several grocery stores, a bar, a restaurant and a home improvement store.

Also on the way you can stop in Libre Union, Citas, Tuncas, or the larger city of Valladolit, where a selection of groceries, shops and other goods will help you make more varied and profitable purchases.

Book an excursion to Chichen Itza

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115 km from and 193 km from.

The ancient city of Chichen Itza is recognized by UNESCO as a world cultural heritage and is the second most popular archaeological site among tourists in Mexico (after Teotihuacan).

Translated from the language of local tribes, this name means “Well of the Itza Tribe.” Archaeologists consider it one of the religious “places of power” associated with the Mayan culture.

Over the course of approximately a thousand years of history, various peoples have left their mark on the appearance of the city. The ideas of the Mayan, Toltec and Itza peoples about the world and the universe were reflected in stone monuments and works of art.

The buildings at Chichen Itza are conventionally divided into two groups. The first includes buildings dating from the 6th-7th centuries. n. e. and dating back to the Mayan period. The second group of buildings dates back to the Toltec period of the 10th-11th centuries. n. e.

Story

Chichen Itza was probably founded in the 7th century AD. e.

In the 10th century it was captured by the Toltecs.

In the middle of the 11th century, Chichen Itza became the capital of the Toltec state.

In 1178 it was defeated by the united army of three city-states - Mayapan, Uxmal and Itzmal, led by Hunak Keel. By the time of the Spanish conquests (mid-16th century), Chichen Itza was a ruin.

After 1194, the mysterious city was completely deserted. There is no exact data on what caused this. The policies of the Spanish conquerors who invaded Mexico included the burning of manuscripts and the murder of Mayan priests. Thus, most of its mysterious history has been lost.

Last changes: 07/27/2011

Attractions Chichen Itza

Pyramid of Kukulkan or El Castillo- a temple structure that survived among the ruins of the ancient Mayan city of Chichen Itza.

Inside the pyramid, the entrance to which is on the north side, there is a temple with two rooms. It contains the sacrificial figure of Chak-Mool and the jaguar throne. The height of the pyramid is 24 m, the base is 55x55 m, 365 steps leading up, symbolizing the days of the year. In addition to its function as a temple, the pyramid probably served as a calendar.

Every year on the days of the autumn and spring equinox (March 21 and September 23), you can observe the unique spectacle of the “feathered serpent”. The shadow of the stepped ribs of the pyramid falls on one of the stairs. At the same time, it seems that a snake is crawling along it, up in March and down in September. The end of the staircase, in keeping with this effect, is topped with a stone snake head.

- a natural well located 300 meters north of the main buildings of the city, with which it is connected by a sacred sakbe.

It is a giant round funnel with a diameter of over 60 meters. Its steep walls, made of limestone layers, drop steeply down to the dark green water. According to the Mayans, the rain god Chak lived inside the well. The Mayans offered him human sacrifices, throwing them to the bottom of the cenote.

In 1961 and 1967, Mexican expeditions explored the sacred cenote. Two large wooden thrones, about a hundred clay jugs and bowls of various sizes, gold jewelry, items made of jade, rock crystal, bone, mother-of-pearl, amber, copper and onyx, as well as human and animal bones were found.

– a building located on top of a step pyramid (40x40m), surrounded by big amount carved columns (group of thousand columns). The height of the columns reaches 3 m. Most of these columns depict Toltec warriors, which is why the Temple of the Warriors is called that.

Opposite the main door of the Temple of the Warriors is a statue of Chac Mool, depicting a human figure in a recumbent position, with his head turned to one side and holding a bowl intended for gifts to the gods.

– located on the southern side of the Temple of Warriors and is formed by three colonnades surrounding a rather large area on three sides.

It is believed that the columns once supported the roof. But nothing remains of the roof over the sanctuary, which is located on the upper platform of the Temple of Warriors, where two staircases lead. Only two stylized snakes remained, made in the form of columns and symbolizing Kukulkan.

– a round structure on a large platform. According to researchers, there was an astronomical observatory here for observing the planets, especially Venus.

- the largest playground ever created by the Mayans. The length of the playing field reaches 150 m. On the sides of the playing field there are vertical walls 8.5 m high. In the center of each wall there are heavy stone rings with snake designs - 7.25 m above the ground.

The goal of the game is to hit the stone rings with a heavy (up to 2 kg) rubber ball, the size of a human head. The ball was caught on a “yoke” or hit with a bat; only elbows, knees or hips were used. The ball, representing the sun, was probably not allowed to touch the ground, otherwise its symbolic "path" would be interrupted.

The team that missed the ball through the hoop was considered the loser. The losers are believed to have been ritually sacrificed (reliefs on panels decorating the bases of the walls show beheaded players).

There are several other similar structures at Chichen Itza, but the “Great Field” is much larger than them.
Last changes: 04/10/2015

Last changes: 04/10/2015

Chichen Itza(in Yucatan Mayan language Chi"ch"èen Ìitsha" literally " in the mouth of the well of itza", i.e. the place at the mouth of the well of the Itza people) is one of the largest and, without a doubt, the most famous cultural and political center Indians Central America pre-Columbian period. The Mayans believed that the city was founded by themselves Kukulkan(known to the Aztecs as Quetzalcoatlus), one of the most important Indian deities. Chichen Itza recognized as one of the seven modern miracles Sveta.

Location of Chichen Itza

Chichen Itza located in Mexico, in the northern part of the peninsula Yucatan, 1.5 km south of small town Piste (Piste), located on the highway connecting the two largest cities of the northern Yucatan - Merida (Merida) and Cancun ( Cancun).

History of Chichen Itza

Chichen Itza founded by the Mayan Indians, according to legend a legendary people itza, which is considered the oldest of the Mayans, in the 7th century. It was one of the largest Mayan cities, but around the 10th century. for inexplicable reasons, life in the city practically stops and Chichen Itza capture Toltecs. The city becomes the Toltec capital, and Toltec influence extends to almost the entire Yucatan. During its heyday, the population Chichen Itza ranged from 20 to 30 thousand people. By the end of the 14th century, the city fell into decay and was again depopulated. The European conquistadors no longer found power Chichen Itza and saw the city in ruins.

Attractions of Chichen Itza

The most famous building Chichen Itza - pyramid(or " temple») Kukulkan(in Spanish " El Castillo", i.e. castle). This is an almost 30-meter nine-step pyramid with a square base. The length of the base side is 55.5 m. The pyramid is oriented to the cardinal points. Four wide staircases rise along the side edges, each of which has 91 steps. The staircase running along the northern side of the pyramid ends at the bottom edges with snake heads, which are a symbol of Kukulkan. If we consider the platform at the top of the pyramid on which the temple stands as one more step, then in total there are 91 × 4 + 1 in the pyramid, that is, 365 steps, according to the number of days in the year. It is believed that the pyramid served as a calendar. Every year, on the days of the autumn and spring equinoxes, you can observe a unique “feathered serpent” effect: the shadow of the stepped ribs of the pyramid falls on one of the stairs. At the same time, it seems that the Kukulkan snake is sliding down it.

also in Chichen Itza there is the “Temple of Warriors” on a low four-step pyramid, the “Temple of the Jaguars”, the “Caracol” observatory, “stadiums” for playing ball, the ruins of 4 colonnades forming a giant rectangle (“Group of a Thousand Columns”), etc. On the territory of the city to the north of the central pyramid there is a “Sacred Cenote” (i.e., a well) or, as it is also called, the “Well of Death” with a diameter of 60 m and a depth of up to 50 m. Mayan priests dumped people sacrificed to the gods here.

Big photo

Continuing the theme of pyramids touched upon in the previous publication about Teotihuacan - the largest ancient city in America, one cannot ignore the no less famous Cheech complex e n-Its A(emphasis on letters in bold), 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 in the region, and it really is. There is an excellent toll highway to the complex, which allows you to quickly and comfortably get there either by car or by bus.

The entire route marked on the map from point A (the center of the Cancun resort) to Chichen Itza (point B) with a stop in Tulum (point C) and return to Cancun takes 480 km and 6 hours by car, which makes it quite easy to fit into one day.

Driving in Mexico at first creates the illusion of permissiveness - an excellent toll road, few cars, why not put the pedal to the metal?! However, be careful - The traffic police in Mexico are very corrupt and is aimed at extorting money, first of all, from tourists. I recommend not to exceed the speed much above the recommended speed and be sure to read a story about my experience with the Mexican police so that if something happens you don’t end up with money.

Basic facts about Chichen Itza

• Chichen Itza literally means "The Well of the Itza Tribe": Well refers to large natural wells-senods where sacrifices were supposedly made, and “itsa” is one of the varieties of the Mayan tribes.
• The city is located in the jungle of Yucatan, far from the sea coast. Researchers believe that the choice of location was due precisely to the presence of huge natural wells that served as a source drinking water.
• It is believed that Chichen Itza was founded in 514. At the end of the 10th century, the warlike Toltec tribe 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 were built, surviving to this day.
• in its heyday, by the 12th century AD. Chichen Itza occupied an area of ​​about 10 square kilometers, where people lived up to 30,000 people.
• in 1178 Chichen Itza was captured a 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 residents suddenly left the city, after which it began to rapidly collapse. The Spanish conquistadors found only the ruins of what had once been largest city region.
• Chichen Itza remained abandoned until in 1843 Traveler John Stevenson did not stumble upon it by chance. In the 1920s, large-scale restoration work was carried out, and the complex was soon opened to the general public.

This is the official version of the history of Chichen Itza, however, as I have mentioned many times, these figures and facts should be treated with great skepticism, for which there are a number of reasons:

• what we see now in Chichen Itza is the result of the hard work of a large number of restorers, who, of course, made a very beautiful picture, but left virtually no chance to understand the form in which the Mayans first saw this city. The entrance to the pyramid is closed, and since 2006 it has become impossible to climb onto it.
• The “officially accepted” purpose of many surviving buildings raises many questions. Thus, only about 100 bodies were found in the sacrificial cenote, not young girls, but mostly children and men. The ball stadium is striking in its proportions and stands out sharply from the rest of the 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 Mayan chronicles. Representatives of academic science readily refer to this, but they forget to mention that the Mayan calendar does not make it possible to accurately date events. The Mayan calendar includes the so-called “short cycle” (52 years), within which each event is dated very precisely, and the “long cycle” (which covers a period of several million years). It is not always possible to understand exactly what 52-year cycle we are talking about, especially when the chronicles tell about some events that are very distant in time. So it turns out that the year 520 or 1040 will be recorded in the chronicle in the same way, if the chronicler did not leave special links to the long cycle, which was done extremely rarely.

It is customary in 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 Mayans created this knowledge. Moreover, the artifacts of the Mayan civilization that have reached us cast doubt on this. So, the Mayans did not know wheels - and their logic of their calendar is best illustrated 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 certainly deserve a separate analysis.

Temple of Kukulkan - the dominant feature of Chichen Itza

Upon 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 there, which must be paid separately. We took advantage free parking, located approximately 500-600 meters from the entrance.

Throughout Chichen Itza, along the paths there are stalls selling numerous souvenirs. Prices are reasonable, not overpriced compared to Cancun, but the abundance of stalls spoils and detracts from the atmosphere of the place.

Soon the path leads you to open area, in the middle of which rises the most famous pyramid Chichen Itza is the Temple of the Feathered Serpent of Kukulcan (Castillo de Kukulcan), which is the undisputed dominant feature 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 folded into 9 levels (steps), at its top there is a sanctuary.
• the temple has four sides, on each of which there is a staircase leading to the top, each of which has 91 steps. In total, this gives 364 steps (4 * 91), which, together with the platform at the top, gives 365 - the number of days in a year.
• as in Tehutihuacan, the faces of the pyramid have a slight deviation from the current cardinal directions, which indicates their “antediluvian” nature (i.e. it can be confidently stated that the pyramid - or, at least, ancient building on this site - was built before the shift of the earth's poles occurred as a result of a cataclysm about 13,000 years ago).
• 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, due to the play of light, an interesting effect is created - when the sun rises, it seems as if a snake is crawling along a pyramid. These days there is always an increased influx of tourists to Chichen Itza and local residents who want to see this phenomenon. By the way, you can admire it several days before or after the equinox (since the effect does not appear all at once and does not disappear immediately).

I personally watched several of the most popular videos depicting this moment, and I can say for sure that the event was made up of nothing. 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 Mayans 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 inability to include individual artifacts from this ancient pyramid V official version stories).

• At the top of the pyramid is a jaguar temple, inside which a wooden throne was found with an 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, which towers over the area, the complex amazes with another structure that is unlike anything else. It's about oh, as they call it, a giant ballpark. It differs from other stadiums and sports grounds in its truly gigantic size. It is almost impossible to imagine ordinary people of our height playing on it.

According to the widespread academic version, the goal of the game was to throw a ball filled with grass into this ring with your feet (see photo above).

The stadium was also badly damaged (see photo from the mid-19th century before restoration):

There are many legends around the ancient Mayan ball game, which differ only in one thing: whose heads were cut off - the winning team or the losing one. These scenes are depicted in multiple bas-reliefs surrounding the field.

Right next to the stadium there was the Temple of the Jaguar, in which, according to Indian chronicles, the sacrifice was made after the ball game:

Jaguar Temple in the background

Of course, there was also an image of Kukulkan - the Feathered Serpent, who was the main deity of the Mayans:

By the way, to me, Kukulkan is very reminiscent of an 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, one can also highlight the Temple of the Warriors:

There was a wooden roof on many columns.

We are in the role of the famous Asian monkeys: I don’t see anything, I don’t hear anything, I won’t tell anyone anything

Nearby is the so-called “place of a thousand columns”, where trade took place 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 introduced a new word into my vocabulary - cenote. This designates huge natural wells in which groundwater from underground rivers accumulates. Cenotes on earth are quite rare, which is due to the specific nature of their formation in limestone 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 away.

A widely accepted version is that one of the cenotes was used by the ancient Mayans for sacrifices. That’s what it’s called now—the Holy Synod. Young virgins were supposedly dumped here to appease the gods.

Sacred Cenote in Chichen Itza

However, a detailed study of the bottom of the cenote, undertaken at the beginning of the 20th century by American archaeologist Edward Thompson, showed that this is nothing more than a beautiful myth for naive tourists. He managed to find only 50 bodies, most of which were men and children. Ancient researcher Andrei Sklyarov put forward the 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 a well for water, and they fell from a cliff).

Most Yucatan cenotes are not as gloomy as this one, and some of them are even suitable for swimming. Usually tourists go to swim in the Ik Kil cenote, which is located 5 kilometers from Chichen Itza.

Swimming in Cenote Ik Kil

The most convenient way to get there is by car, using a navigator. You need to drive towards the city of Valladolid; the turnout to the cenote itself will be indicated by a sign. The cost of swimming in a cenote is 70 pesos per person. We changed clothes in our cars, although you can also use the changing rooms on site. Young children are given vests to rent for an additional fee - you should definitely take them, because there are a lot of people in the cenote, and the depth is great.

By the way, according to one version, the rapid abandonment of the residents 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 to Chichen Itza early in the morning, before the city is flooded tourist groups. The second option is to arrive in the evening, closer to closing. In both cases there is a greater chance of doing nice 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 wait 30-35 minutes for tickets at the box office. Of course, it is impossible to purchase 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 toll road. Do not buy or pay for anything other than official tickets. The entrance ticket to Chichen Itza is purchased at the ticket 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.

You need to budget 3-4 hours for exploring and walking around the complex, of which 2-2.5 hours will be spent exploring the central complex itself, and 1-1.5 hours will be spent swimming in the nearby Cenote Ik Kil.

Above Chichen Itza, as in other places archaeological sites Mexico, quadcopter flights are strictly prohibited. Vigilant security ensures that they are not smuggled in and turns violators towards the storage room.

By the way, we still launched the quadcopter over the pyramid, but we did it from the ring road. True, we lost our caution, flew very brazenly, descending low over the pyramid, and we were quickly identified. If you want to fly the quadcopter there, do it from a secluded place (not in the middle of the road), because... in this case, the security will detect you fairly quickly. We barely managed to avoid a fine, and the security guard forced us to erase all information from the camera.

Taking this opportunity, I say hello to him and send rays of gratitude to the authors of utilities that allow you to recover erased files from flash cards:

The central pyramid of Chichen Itza, photographed in the rays of the setting sun

Overall, Chichen Itza is definitely a must-see for all tourists visiting Cancun. The spirit of antiquity is felt here, despite the shopping arcades 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 the way back from Chichen Itza to Cancun. Subscribe to blog updates so you don't miss new posts.

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Chichen Itza is the grandiose center of the Maya-Toltec civilization, which absorbed the knowledge, beliefs and ideas of these peoples about the universe and the world around them. The city is included in the list of objects world heritage UNESCO, and the Kukulcan Pyramid located here is declared one of the new seven wonders of the world.

Entrance to the territory is 220 MXN, the cost of guide services is 750 MXN. Prices on the page are as of November 2019.

Access is open from 8:00 to 17:00.

History and culture

The history of the city can be roughly divided into two periods: the first lasted from the 7th to the 10th century, when it belonged to the Mayans, the second came in the 10th century after the Toltecs captured the territory. In the mid-11th century, Chichen Itza became the capital of the Toltec state, and in 1178 it was defeated by the united army of the rebel Mayan tribe from three cities: Mayapan, Uxmal and Itzmal. For a reason that remained an unsolved mystery, the city was completely deserted at the end of the 12th century. The buildings of Chichen Itza were gradually covered with a continuous carpet of thickets of tropical plants, until archaeological and restoration work began here in 1920.

The Toltecs worshiped a deity called Quetzacoatl or Kukulcan in the Mayan language, which means “feathered serpent”, whose images are juxtaposed here with the rain god Chak.

Currently, Chichen Itza is the most fully and efficiently restored Mayan city, attracting a huge number of tourists every year.

Where is it and how to get to Chichen Itza

A first class bus will take you from Merida in 1 hour 45 minutes and 200 MXN. Second class will cost 120 MXN, travel time is 2.5 hours. From Cancun it will be, respectively, 290 MXN and 2.5 hours for first class and 200 MXN and 4.5 hours for second class.

• How to build a route between Chichen Itza, Uxmal and Ek Balam

Shopping

On the territory of the complex a large number of traders offering various souvenirs and crafts. Be careful: in addition to the fact that they are intrusive and will try to attract attention by any means, their products are often of very low quality.

There are also several shops where you can buy souvenirs, clothes and jewelry.

Popular hotels in Chichen Itza

Excursions, activities and attractions of Chichen Itza

Unfortunately, since the beginning of 2006, climbing the structures is prohibited, with the exception of a few specially designated places. Don't forget a hat and sunglasses - there is practically no shade here during the daytime. And, of course, you can’t do without comfortable shoes.

In the evening, the city is illuminated by the lights of a light and sound show, during which a fairy-tale narration is performed in Spanish. The night landscape leaves unforgettable experience, but be prepared for the fact that you will have to return in complete darkness - it would be a good idea to have a flashlight with you. A ticket to the show costs 190 MXN.

Bring binoculars with you - a large number of wonderful birds live in the area. And at night you can admire the sky strewn with myriads of stars.

There is also a small but fascinating museum on site.

Pyramids and temples of Chichen Itza

The Pyramid of Kukulkan, or El Castillo, is a nine-step pyramid 25 meters high, essentially a huge calendar: each step is divided into 2 parts, forming 18 terraces, symbolizing the 18 twenty-day months of the year.

On the days of the spring (March 21-22) and autumn (September 21-22) equinox, the play of sunlight and shadow creates on the western balustrade of the main staircase the illusion of the body of a snake, “crawling” as the sun moves towards its head, carved at the base of the staircase.

These days, Chichen Itza is so crowded that you can hardly get closer to get a good look at what is happening. A week before and another week after these dates, the effect of the image is almost the same.

Chichen Itza

El Caracol - located on a square platform, the round temple served as an observatory. The dome windows are framed with images of various celestial bodies on certain dates. The large ball field (there are seven in total on the territory of the complex) is the largest of all created by the Mayans, its length is 135 meters. And the Sacred Cenote is a natural well about 50 meters deep.

The temple of warriors (located on a low four-step pyramid) is decorated with images of sacred animals carved from stone. The top is crowned with the figure of the rain god. Nearby are the ruins of baths, which had mystical significance in Mayan life as a way of cleansing the body and soul.

March 19, 20 and 21 are celebrated as the days of “Bowing Kukulkan”, during which time dance, music and theatrical performances take place.