Chichen Itza is a massive monument complex, located in the northern Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico. This is the greatest work remaining today of the ancient Maya – a people who possessed an incredible civilization and left many mysteries for the scientific world. The sudden disappearance of the Mayans still has no reasonable answer.
Chichen Itza is a massive monument complex, located in the northern Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico
Chichen Itza means “mouth of the well of the Itza people”
Since the 600s AD, the Maya people built the first structures, turning this place into one of the most sacred cultural and social centers for hundreds of years, before decline due to civil war. in the 13th century according to the Mayan Chronicle. Despite the ups and downs of history and the destruction of time, many of the massive and mysterious buildings, temples, and pyramids of the ancient citadel still exist firmly to this day.
Many of the massive and mysterious buildings, temples, and pyramids of the ancient citadel still exist to this day.
The most famous is the Kukulkan pyramid (El castillo). This is a temple worshiping the sacred snake god and also an observatory of the ancient Maya. The Kukulkan pyramid is 24m high and has a 6m high temple at the top, with four symmetrical sides, each side has 91 steps, plus the altar at the top of the tower has 365 steps symbolizing the days of the year. The 52 stone slabs that make up the pyramid represent the 52-year cycle in the Mayan calendar.
Kukulkan Pyramid (El castillo)
In the highest room at the top there is also the jaguar-shaped throne of ancient King Kukulkan. On the two days of the Spring and Autumn Equinoxes, shadows from the angular steps slide along the northern edge of the pyramid along with the movement of the sun; This shows that the Mayan way of calculating time through the Pyramids had developed to a very high level. Scientists also discovered that inside this work are two smaller pyramids nested together, which likely contain many secrets that modern humans have not been able to discover.
In the highest room at the top there is also the jaguar-shaped throne of ancient King Kukulkan
There are also many ancient football fields in the city. The largest yard is 166m x 68m in size, surrounded by high walls carved with snakes winding together. At the foot of the wall are bas-reliefs of players, some of which also have images of players being beheaded.
At the foot of the wall are bas-reliefs of players
It is said that the ancient Mayans would hold soccer matches when there was an argument or to pray for rain. The two teams symbolize the confrontation between the gods of heaven and the gods of the underground, the ball symbolizes the sun.
The ancient Mayans would organize soccer games when there was an argument or to pray for rain
The ancient Mayans, with their outstanding scientific level, also built an El Caracol astronomical observatory, with a spiral staircase inside. From here, scientists can observe the sky and predict upcoming rains.
This is also where the “Temple of the Warriors Templo des Guerreros” is located, with a structure consisting of a pyramid and a large row of columns symbolizing the warriors. Outside the temple, there are more than 1,000 famous columns exquisitely carved with images of heroic warriors.
Outside the temple, there are more than 1,000 famous columns exquisitely carved with images of heroic warriors
Recognized by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage Site and one of the seven new wonders of the world, Chichen Itza today attracts a large number of tourists to visit. This place is also an attractive work for many archaeological researchers to discover the most mysterious Mayan civilization on Earth in ancient times.
