Chichen Itza is one of the most significant archaeological sites in Mexico and the world, an ancient city of the Maya civilization, included in the UNESCO World Heritage List and recognized as one of the new seven wonders of the world. El Castillo (Pyramid of Kukulkan) is the main temple dedicated to the god Kukulkan (Quetzalcoatl), the feathered serpent. The pyramid served as a giant calendar. It has 365 steps (by day of the year), 52 panels and 18 terraces. Twice a year, on the days of the spring and autumn equinox, the play of light and shadow creates the illusion of a snake descending the stairs. The Large Ball Field (Jaguar Temple) is the largest ball playing field in Mesoamerica. The teams played using only elbows, knees and hips. It is considered that the captain of the loser (or, according to other versions, the winner) the teams were sacrificed. It has a unique acoustics: a whisper at one end of the field is perfectly audible at the other. The Temple of Warriors and the Group of a thousand columns. Military and administrative complex. It consists of a pyramid surrounded by rows of carved columns that probably supported the roof. El Karakol (Observatory) is an astronomical observatory for observing planets, especially Venus. A circular building with a spiral staircase inside, which gave it its name ("Snail"). The sacred cenote. A natural karst well (cenote), which served as a place of sacrifice to the rain god Chaak. At the bottom of the cenote, archaeologists found gold products, objects made of jadeite and human remains confirming the practice of sacrifice. Chichen Itza was not just a city, but the largest political, economic and religious center of northern Yucatan for almost a millennium (from the VI to the XV century). Its uniqueness lies in the mixture of Maya and Toltec architectural styles, which makes the city a striking example of cultural synthesis in pre—Columbian America.

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Level 30 Local Expert

A historical place of worship. When talking about Mexico, the first thing that comes to mind is tequila, then sombreros and the Mayan tribe. The unusual buildings are striking in their fundamentality, architectural design and grandeur. One of the wonders of the world. An extraordinary city founded in the 5th century A.D. A very interesting story, I recommend you to visit with a guide. On the territory, descendants of the Maya tribe sell their needlework (mostly handkerchiefs for $ 2), the height of the inhabitants of this tribe (as well as the descendants) was about 150 cm. You look like a giant against their background)))

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МАРИНА РОМАНЧЕНКО

Level 16 Local Expert

It's a fascinating place ... especially when I was a kid, I watched the cartoon "The Road to El Dorado") then you see it all in person! The Mayan pyramid itself and the soccer field (a ball game where you need to hit a ball in a special ring). I recommend you to visit! The territory of the attraction is clean, everything is neat (which cannot be said, for example, about the Egyptian pyramids, where there are huge questions about cleanliness).

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Chichén Itzá

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