Chichen ItzaMaya Mythology

Chichen Itza is dominated by the Temple of Kukulkan (El Castillo), a pyramid designed so that during the spring and autumn equinoxes, the setting sun casts a shadow that creates the illusion of a serpent descending the northern staircase — the feathered serpent Kukulkan returning to earth.

The Sacred Cenote (natural sinkhole) at the site was a portal to Xibalba, the Maya underworld. Offerings — jade, gold, copal incense, and according to some accounts, human sacrifices — were deposited into the cenote as gifts to the rain god Chaac and other underworld deities.

Chichen Itza sits in the dry scrub forest of the northern Yucatan Peninsula. The site spans roughly 4 square miles, though the core monumental zone is walkable in a few hours. Key structures include El Castillo (the iconic step pyramid), the Great Ball Court (the largest in Mesoamerica), the Temple of Warriors, and the Sacred Cenote.

It is one of the New Seven Wonders of the World and receives over 2.6 million visitors annually.

Chichen Itza was founded in the 5th or 6th century CE and became one of the largest Maya cities by the Terminal Classic period (800-1000 CE). The site shows strong influence from central Mexican (Toltec) cultures, visible in the feathered serpent imagery and the chacmool sculptures. Whether this represents conquest, trade, or cultural exchange remains debated.

The city was largely abandoned by the 13th century. Spanish conquistadors arrived in the 16th century and recorded local Maya accounts of the site's significance. Archaeological work began in the 19th century and continues today.