Spotlight: Chichén Itzá was a large pre-Colombian city built by the Mayans of the Late Classic period, rising to prominence during the 7th century AD, with its peak coming during the Terminal Classic period (c. AD 800-900), and losing much of its influence by 1100 AD. Today, it is a popular archeological site, with about 2.5 million visitors per year. As one of the largest cities among the Mayans, it is believed to be one of the mythical great cities, or Tollans, referred to in later Mesoamerican literature. Mexico’s Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia has maintained stewardship over the site since 2010. As with most of the Yucatan, there are no bodies of water on the surface of the site. Rather, water for the city was provided by four sinkholes (known as cenotes) fed by underground rivers. The most famous of these cenotes was the Cenote Sagrada, into which the Mayans offered sacrifices (both human and other objects) to the Mayan rain god Chaac. It was believed that if a sacrificial victim survived being thrown into the Sacred Cenote, that he would have the gift of prophecy.
Chichén Itzá became famous in the modern world after John
Lloyd Stephens featured it in his book Incidents of Travel in Yucatan,
in 1843. In 1894, Edward Herbert Thompson, U.S. Consul to the Yucatan,
purchased the Hacienda Chichen, which included the ruins of Chichén Itzá, and
spent 30 years exploring the ruins of the ancient city. He dredged the Cenote
Sagrada and recovered artifacts of gold, copper, jade as well as examples of of
pre-Colombian Mayan cloth and wooden weapons. He shipped most of the items to
the Peabody Museum at Harvard University. Later, the Carnegie Institution, in
collaboration with the Mexican government, conducted extensive excavation and
restoration to the site. Among the most famous sites to be restored are those
on the Great North Platform: El Castillo, known by the Mayans as the
Temple of Kukulcán, the Temple of Warriors, and the Great Ball Court.
Activities: The Temple of Kukulcán, aka. El Castillo,
is a step pyramid that stands about 30 meters
(98 ft) high and consists of a series of nine square terraces, each
approximately 2.57 meters (8.4 ft) high, with a 6-meter (20 ft) high
temple upon the summit. Each face of the pyramid has a stairway (with 91 steps each) that rises at a
45-degree angle. The final step at the top makes 365 total steps. Excavations inside the temple have uncovered a statue of Chac
Mool and a throne in the shape of a jaguar (painted red with spots made of
inlaid jade). One of the most fascinating aspects of the temple is the optical
illusion that is visible around the Spring and Autumn equinoxes. “In the
late afternoon, the northwest corner of the pyramid casts a series of
triangular shadows against the western balustrade on the north side that evokes
the appearance of a serpent wriggling down the staircase, which some scholars
have suggested is a representation of the feathered-serpent deity, Kukulcán.”
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| Temple of Kukulcan |
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| The slithering snakes |
The Temple of Warriors complex consists of a large step pyramid flanked by rows of hundreds of stone columns depicting warriors. At the top of the stairway on the temple’s summit is a statue of Chac Mool. Along the south wall are exposed columns that would have supported an extensive roof system. The columns are grouped into three distinct sections. The columns surround other smaller temples within the complex: the Temple of the Carved Columns, the Temple of the Small Tables, and the Palace of Ahua Balam Kauil (or Thompson’s Temple).
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| Temple of the Warriors |
Archaeologists have discovered thirteen ball courts at Chichén Itzá. The Great Ball Court, located to the north-west of El Castillo, measures about 168 meters by 70 meters. It is not only the largest ball court that has been discovered in Mesoamerica, it is also the best preserved. Parallel platforms flank the ballcourt, measuring 95 meters in length and 8 meters tall. Set high on each of these platforms is a stone hoop, carved with intertwined feathered serpents. The game, pok-ta-pok, is one of the oldest team sports in the world, and the rules have evolved over time. It consisted of forming two teams of approximately 7 members each, where the main objective was to pass the ball through the stone hoops, provided that the solid rubber ball (about 9 lbs.) was only manipulated by the body parts (padded) allowed by the rules of the game: the hips, shoulders, and elbows. Legend has it that the Mayans adopted this game as a way to resolve conflicts between factions and avoid wars, or to negotiate agreements. The top level even has a set of "box seats" for dignitaries. The ball game also had religious significance, representing the struggle between good and evil, and the losing team was often sacrificed as part of the ritual. The skulls of the sacrificed players were displayed on the tzompantli (or Skull Platform) near the ballpark, and their images carved into the stone.
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| The Great Ball Court |
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| The Stone Hoop |
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| The Wall of Fame (the Tzompantli) |
In addition to these features, there are many other
structures at Chichén Itzá, including: The Platform of Eagles and Jaguars,
the Platform of Venus, the Temple of the Tables, the Steam Bath, the Sacred
Cenote, the Chultun of Children, El Mercado, the Osario (a smaller step
pyramid), the Temple of Xtoloc, the Casa Colorada, Las Monjas, El Caracol,
Akab Dzib, the
Phallic Temple, the Platform of the Great Turtle, the Temple of the Owls, and
the Temple of the Monkeys. Approximately 4 miles south-east of Chichen
Itza are the Caves of Balankanche – with a large selection of ancient
pottery and idols. Honestly, I could have spent all day exploring the
marvelous treasure trove of ancient structures and artifacts here, so I would
recommend doing some research beforehand to make sure that you see the things
that you most want to see.
- Location: Located in the middle of the Yucatan Peninsula, it is about 50 kilometers west of Valladolid, and roughly midway between Merida and Cancun.
- Hours: Open daily from 8 am to 5 pm. There is a separate night show at 7:00 pm Tuesday through Sunday. Most people spend between 2-4 hours.
- Cost: General admission: $648-$697 MXN (approx. $35-$44 USD); Guided tours will cost extra.
- Things You Should Know: The best time to visit is between 8-11 am. to avoid crowds and heat (which often exceeds 90 degrees with limited shade).
- Bring cash to facilitate purchases with local venders, who usually don't accept credit cards. Bring your own water since it is more expensive at the site.
- There are lockers at the entrance to store items since you aren't allowed to carry large bags into the park.
- Wear sun block, a hat, and good walking shoes since the sites are spread out among a large area.
- I recommend that you hire a guide since it is the best way to find out historically accurate information of what you're seeing. However, when comparing tour prices, make sure that you factor in the entrance price ($648-$697 MXN), since some tours include it in the base price while others don't.
- Entry Feed are divided into two separate payments (federal and state) that you must pay at different windows; keep both tickets in case you are asked for proof of purchase.
- Drones, tripods and professional video equipment are forbidden. There is a small fee for tourists who wish to use "Go Pros", 360 degree cameras, and selfie sticks.
- Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars
Activities: The landscape of the Yucatan Peninsula is almost completely devoid of rivers and lakes. However, underground rivers and ponds, known as cenotes, provide the region with fresh water. Of the approximately 7,000 cenotes located in the Yucatan, Cenote Ik Kil is probably the most famous due to its proximity to Chichen Itza. The cenote has a profound cultural heritage dating back to the era of the Mayans, who believed that its waters held sacred significance, and were the abode of their rain deity, Chaac. To appease this god, they conducted human sacrifices within its depths, believing that the cenotes were gateways to Xibalba – the Underworld. Over time, archaeologists and speleologists have discovered remnants of these sacrifices, such as bones and jewelry, concealed in its depths.
Today, anyone can swim in the cenote. The waters of Cenote Ik Kil are a vibrant shade of deep blue-green, while the cenote itself is draped with vines and ferns. The cenote has a diameter of approximately 60 meters and a depth of 40 meters. The natural pool is visited by hundreds of tourists daily, but is also inhabited by fish and the occasional turtle. If you want to add to your adventure, jump off the 30-foot high diving platform. Just make sure that you have waterproof casing on your phones because you are going to want to take pictures!
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| Cenote Ik Kil |
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| A view from the wooden deck |
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| Yes, we bought waterproof cases for our phones |
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| Looking up from the Cenote |
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| Taking the plunge from the diving platform |
- Location: Located only 3 kilometers from Chichen Itza.
- Hours: Open daily from 8 am to 5 pm. Plan on spending about an hour.
- Cost: General admission: adults - $150-$220 MXN (approx. $8-$11 USD), which includes a life jacket.
- Things You Should Know: - Life Jackets are mandatory, but sun block is forbidden in the cenote.
- There are
lockers you can rent for 30 pesos ($1.50 USD) where you can store your
belongings while you swim.
- Ik Kil has
a parking lot, and parking is free for paying customers.
- The best
time to avoid crowds is to arrive early (from 8-11 am - before the tour buses
arrive), or from 4:30-5:30 (after the buses leave).
- Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Activities: Ek Balam is a Mayan phrase that means “black jaguar” or “jaguar star.” The site dates back to 300 B.C. and was the capital of the Tah Empire, with about 12 to 18 thousand inhabitants. The city thrived until the arrival of the Spanish. The site was rediscovered in 1886 by the French archaeologist Derire Charnay. However, at the time it was only partially excavated. In 2005, in the aftermath of Hurricane Wilma, some interesting architecture was discovered under a pyramid temple. Further explorations uncovered additional ruins that were heretofore unknown to the archaeologists, opening a new wave of excavations.
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| Climbing up to the Astronomy Tower |
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| The steep steps of the pyramid |
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| The temple facade |
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| One of the Stelae |
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| Ek Balam - the top of the pyramid offers 360-degree views of the jungle |
- Location: Located in the middle of the Yucatan Peninsula, it is about 27.5 kilometers north of Valladolid, and roughly midway between Merida and Cancun.
- Hours: Open daily from 8 am to 5 pm. (best between 8-10 am. to avoid crowds and heat). Most people spend between 2-3 hours.
- Cost: General admission: adults - $561-$709 MXN (approx. $31-$45 USD); children - $100 MXN; Guided tours will cost extra.
- Things You Should Know: Wear study shoes for climbing the pyramid. The steps are steep, so take it slow and use the rope as a hand hold. You should also wear a hat, sun screen and bug spray.
- Bring cash since there are no ATM machines and card readers are unreliable.
- Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Nearby: Cenote Xcanche is a beautiful cenote 1.5 kilometers from Ek Balam.
- Valladolid is the largest city in the area, and a great home base (50 kilometers east of Chichen Izta, 27.5 kilometers south of Ek Balam), and is known for its rich Mayan heritage, colonial architecture, cenotes, and traditional cuisine.
