Unfortunately, the pyramid cannot be entered or climbed anymore.
If you decide to visit the site in those days, prepare for chaos. As the sun sets, this shadow descends the pyramid steps to eventually join a stone serpent head at the base of the great staircase. Twice a year on the spring and autumn equinoxes, a shadow falls on the pyramid in the shape of a serpent. One of the most notable inventions of the Mayans was the Maya Calendar. The temple has 365 steps, one for each day of the year. This step pyramid demonstrates the importance of Maya astronomy and the heavy influence of the Toltecs, who invaded Mayans around 1000 years ago and merged the two cultural traditions. Most of the people consider this pyramid as Chichen Itza, but in fact, Chichen Itza was the name of the entire city, and Kukulkan was the center of that huge city. We went directly to Kukulkán or El Castillo, this is the most famous building in the entire site. There were only a few people inside, so we were very happy that we had the chance to visit it in peace. The site covered more than 10 km for stepped pyramids, temples, columned arcades, and other stone structures, most of them still hidden in the jungle. The Maya and Toltec vision of the universe is revealed in their artistic works and stone monuments and it can be seen on the several buildings that have survived. Throughout its 1,000 years of history, different civilizations have left their mark on this city. We waited a few minutes to pay the two entrance tickets to Chichen Itza (411 pesos- cultural fee+ 70 pesos –INHA) a total of 482 pesos.Ĭhichen Itza was one of the greatest Mayan centers of the Yucatan Peninsula. It is best to reach Chichen Itza at its opening time because it is less crowded, the tours reach this place starting with 9.00-10.00. We parked the car in the parking place and paid 80 pesos and went straight to the entrance. We reached Chichen Itza by 8.00, exactly the opening time. There were very high and very fervent, therefore annoying. The only annoying things were the number of speed bumps in the villages or cities. The first 30 km to Tulum was crowded, but at the rest of the road, we encounter only a few cars. You have to pay attention to the fact that the Yucatan Peninsula has a different time zone (-1 h), then Quintana Roo (Riviera Maya).įirst, we reached Tulum and from there we took the road to Valladolid and then Chichen Itza. We left our hotel very early in the morning, around 6.30 and drove for 2.5 h. We choose to rent a car from for 40 euros/day all insurances included. Our accommodation was on the Riviera Maya, somewhere between Playa del Carmen and Tulum, so to visit Chichen Itza, we had few options: to have a tour, to rent a car or to take the local bus. When the Spanish conquerors set foot in this place, the Mayan civilization was far from the symbol of the past.īut, in the north region of the Yucatan peninsula, on a limestone plateau still lies the old city of Chichen Itza, once one of the most powerful cities of the Maya and attracts millions of visitors who come to marvel at the spectacular remains. They were one of the most dominant indigenous societies of Mesoamerica, covering all of the modern-day Yucatan Peninsula and other states of Mexico, Guatemala, and Belize.Īt the end of the 13th century, Maya civilization started its collapse and no one knows for sure the reason for the fall. The Mayans excelled at mathematics, astrology, agriculture, pottery, hieroglyph writing, calendar-making, and many more things. And like any advanced civilization, it also went through various stages of development: from the rudimentary one to the peak of its power and influence around the sixth century A.D. The Maya is one of the greatest civilizations ever known. Chichen Itza is one of the New Seven World Wonders and the most famous Mayan ruin in the world, it goes without saying that it has to be visited.
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