Chichen Itza

Chichen Itza is located in the eastern section of the State of Yucatan, just 120 km. from the City of Merida, along the highway to Cancun. Maya for ("Mouth of the well of the itzaes"), Chichen Itza is one of the most controversial, studied and visited ruins of the mayan world. Its history and its chronology are the subject of debates and the fate of its people a puzzle that archaeologists continue to theorize about as excavations continue. This site, declared Patrimony of Humanity in 1988, is combination of grandeur and nature. Interesting finds from the past are studied among the acacias and orchids; legends and mysteries are revealed among the iguanas, armadillos and; prehispanic paths and ways are admired as we stand among the pheasants, doves and pigeons, listening to the delicate song of the beautiful turquoise-colored bird tho. The Itzaes settled in Chichen Itza in the IX Century a.C. believed to be putun or chontal mayas, they forged a wide empire with one culture centered in Chichen Itza. Nevertheless, around 1250 a.C. the city was abandoned for reasons still not completely understood. The power of this city was so great that centuries after its fall, it is still a site of peregrination and adoration. Even as recently as 1540 a.C. Francisco de Montejo, founder of Merida, considered making it his capital. In its Golden Era, Chichen Itza covered an area of over 25 square kilometers. The religious, cultural and administrative center covered approximately 6 square kilometers and was located close to the area where the elite resided in carefully decorated and brightly painted palaces. Around this central area lived between 50,000 and 100,000 people in thatch-roofed palapas, or cottages. The Castle of Kukulcan rising 30 meters from the earth is the most impressive building. Its age is difficult to calculate, being estimated between 650 and 800 a.C. The numbers of its different measurements relate to digits in the maya solar calendar; for example, 91 steps on 4 sides, or 364; plus the platform, 365, the number of days in a year. The five adornments on each side of the temple are 5 x 4, or 20, the number of days in a maya month. This building, revealing the profound knowledge of the mayas, every year during the equinox demonstrates the descending of the god Kukulkan, "The Feathered serpent", to earth, in a light and shadow phenomenon that every year attracts visitors from all over the world. The Ball Court has a cosmic meaning. With its warlike symbols and almost perfect acoustics it is one of the oldest constructions in the zone, bearing the date 864 a.C. To visit this majestic site is to enter an indispensable chapter in the history of the Maya people. Truly no visitor to Yucatan should leave without visiting the great Chichen Itza, ending this meeting with the mayas with the light and sound show offered every night of the year.