Chichen Itza is one of the few ancient cities that were partially restored during excavations. It is located in Mexico near Cancun. It was previously the political and cultural center of the Mayan civilization. And although today the territory is abandoned by residents, the attraction is a UNESCO heritage, so tourists come to see the ancient buildings not in photos, but in person.

Historical summary of Chichen Itza

From history, everyone knows about the Mayan tribe, but by the time the Spaniards landed on the Yucatan Peninsula, only scattered settlements remained of the large population. The ancient city of Chichen Itza is irrefutable proof that the civilization was once very powerful, and the knowledge it possessed can still surprise us today.

The beginning of the construction of the city dates back to the 6th century. Architecture can be roughly divided into two periods: the Mayan and Toltec cultures. The first buildings appeared in the 6th-7th centuries, subsequent buildings were erected after the Toltecs captured the area in the 10th century.

In 1178, the city was partially destroyed after the invasion of Hunak Keel. In 1194, the previously prosperous center was almost completely deserted. It was still used for pilgrimage purposes, but for unknown reasons, residents never returned to the city with its unusual architecture and developed infrastructure for those times. In the 16th century it was already completely abandoned, as the Spanish conquerors came across only ruins.

Sights of the ancient city

When visiting Chichen Itza, it is difficult to ignore the monumental buildings of the city, which even today amaze with their scale. Business card is the Temple of Kukulcan, a 24 meter high pyramid. The Mayans worshiped divine beings in the form of feathered snakes, so they hid an amazing miracle in the design features of the Pyramid of Kukulkan.


On the days of the autumn and spring equinoxes, the sun's rays fall on the slopes of the building so that they create shadows of seven equilateral triangles. These geometric shapes are combined into a single whole and form a snake crawling along a pyramid measuring 37 meters in size. The spectacle lasts almost 3.5 hours and annually attracts a huge crowd.


Also, during the excursions, be sure to tell about the Temple of Warriors and the Temple of Jaguars, painted unusual drawings. At the Temple of Warriors you can see the ruins of a thousand columns, each with images of warriors carved into it. In those days, astronomy was of great importance to residents, so it is not surprising that there is an observatory in the ancient city. The staircase has a spiral shape, which is why the building is called Karakol, which translates as “snail”.

One of the darkest places in the city is considered to be the Sacred Cenote, where there is a well with the remains of animals and people. During the Toltec period, sacrifices played a key role in religion, but many child skeletons have been found here. Scientists still cannot find a clue why children were needed for the rituals. Perhaps this secret will remain hidden within the walls of Chichen Itza.

For the Mayans, astronomy was placed at the forefront of everything; many nuances in architecture are associated with the passage of time and calendar features. For example, the Temple of Kukulkan consists of nine tiers, on each side a staircase divides the pyramid in half. As a result, 18 tiers are formed, the same number of months in the Mayan calendar. Each of the four staircases has exactly 91 steps, which together with the upper pedestal is 365, which is the number of days in a year.

The interesting thing is that local residents loved to play pot-ta-pok with a ball. This is confirmed by several playgrounds. The largest reaches 135 meters in length and 68 in width. There are temples around it, one on each side of the world. Guides usually show how to get to sports grounds, and talk about the rules of the game.


Chichen Itza can easily surprise you, because the city is impressive in its scale. It seems that everything in it was thought out to the smallest detail, which is why it is not clear for what reasons the inhabitants left it. The mystery of history may remain unsolved forever, and this is even more interesting for tourists.

Ancient city of Chichen Itza- Mayan heritage; most ancient city on the Yucatan Peninsula. Located 120 km from the regional capital - the city of Merida, and 205 km from popular resort Cancun. Probably everyone who has ever been to Mexico wanted to see the remains of this ancient settlement, which is ranked among the new wonders of the world. Chichen Itza is included in the version of our website.

This is a special place where the Mayan Indians once lived and worshiped their gods. For unknown reasons, they were forced to leave the city, which later became the prey of conquerors: first the Toltecs, and then the Spaniards. In the Mayan language, the sonorous name of the settlement was translated as “The mouth of the well of the Itza tribe.” It is no coincidence that the word “well” appears in this phrase, because 13 cenotes, so-called natural wells, were dug on the territory of the city.

By the way, one of these wells, the “Sacred Cenote,” served for sacrifices to the God of Water. On the territory of the deserted settlement there was also preserved famous Temple Kukulkan, with which there is a lot of symbolism associated. This is a pyramidal structure, on top of which stands a temple for sacrifices. Visitors are prohibited from going up to the temple. There are 4 wide staircases leading up, each of which consists of 91 steps.

If you multiply the number of stairs by the number of steps and add one to the resulting number, you get the number 365, that is, exactly the number of days in a year. In addition, every year on the days of the spring and autumn equinox, an unforgettable show takes place on the stairs of the pyramid. At about 3 p.m., the sun illuminates the main staircase so that shadows appear in the form of triangles, folding into the tail of a snake. Because of this, Kukulcan is sometimes called the Pyramid of the Feathered Serpent. In the evenings in Chichen Itza you can see the same artificially created light show.

Many tourists linger on the huge court, created for brutal ball games. The ancient Mayan ball was so heavy that it could only be hit with the thigh. Well, as expected, every game ended with a sacrifice. According to chronology, the city was founded perhaps in the 7th century AD. as a religious center for a Mexican tribe. Today, the remains of the buildings are conventionally divided into two parts: old and new. The most significant buildings are located in the new central part. At the entrance to the complex there are souvenir shops and cafes.

The most convenient way to get to the ruins is by bus from Merida or Cancun. You can also drive to Chichen Itza with a rental car. The route runs along both a toll (shorter) and free road.

The city of Chichen Itza was once an important trade and ceremonial center. It is believed to have been built between 600 and the end of the first millennium AD. The Mayans were good mathematicians, engineers and astronomers, as evidenced by the buildings preserved here. If you want to see as much as possible, we advise you to arrive early - at 11.00 the crowds already gather here. Remember also that towards noon it will become unbearably hot, and there is practically no shade here.

You can explore the temple of El Castillo, built in the shape of a pyramid and dedicated to the god Kukulcan (to Quetzalcoatl), depicted as a feathered serpent with a human head. They say that this snake slithering from the pyramid can be seen twice a year - on the spring and autumn equinox (September 21 and March 21). At three o'clock in the afternoon, the rays of the sun illuminate the western balustrade of the main staircase of the pyramid in such a way that light and shadow form the image of seven isosceles triangles, which, in turn, make up the body of a thirty-seven-meter snake, “crawling” as the sun moves to its own head, carved at the base of the staircase . The phenomenal performance lasts about 3.5 hours and attracts a lot of people. In ancient times, the appearance of a snake served as a signal for the beginning of sowing cereals or harvesting.

Don't miss the opportunity to also see the preserved fragments of the large ball field, Juego de Pelota (Juego de Pelota); it was larger than modern ones football fields, and the balls flew into the air to a height of 6 m! Here they forced prisoners captured in wars to play; it is unknown who was then sacrificed - the winners or the losers, but it is known for certain that their heads, along with many others, were exhibited on pikes on the Skull Wall, Tsompantli (Tzompantli).

However, not all the remains of sacred victims ended up here. Sacred Cenote, Cenote Sagrado (Cenote Sogrado)- an impressive natural well 90 m in diameter, in which researchers discovered not only gold bars and jadeite jewelry, but also children’s skeletons. Looking into the 20 m deep abyss, you can imagine the horror that the condemned experienced before they were sacrificed to the rain gods, and 170 km (about 3 hours journey) from Cancun (Cancun) on the way to Merida (Merida). 8.00-17.00 daily. Buses run frequently from Cancun and other Riviera Mayan resorts. They usually carry organized excursions. From Cozumel and Isla Mujeres, many tourists arrive directly with their luggage to go home the same day - it's cheaper and less tiring.

What to see

  • "Temple of Kukulkan" - 9-step pyramid (height 24 meters) with wide staircases on each side. (On the days of the spring and autumn equinoxes (March 20 and September 22) at approximately three o'clock in the afternoon, the rays of the sun illuminate the western balustrade of the main staircase of the pyramid in such a way that light and shadow form the image of seven isosceles triangles, which, in turn, make up the body of a thirty-seven-meter snake, “crawling” as the sun moves towards its own head, carved at the base stairs.);
  • “Temple of the Warriors at Chichen Itza” on a low 4-step pyramid and “Temple of the Jaguars” (both with wall paintings);
  • Observatory "Karakol";
  • 7 “stadiums” for playing ball (“Large ball field” (Uego de Pelota)- the largest playground ever created by the Mayans. The length of the playing field reaches 135 m. There is some evidence that the game of ball was accompanied by a certain cruelty.);
  • Ruins of 4 colonnades forming a giant rectangle ("Group of a Thousand Columns");
  • The sacred cenote is a natural well about 50 m deep, which was used for sacrifices.
  • Also preserved are statues of deities with characteristic stylization of plastic forms, reliefs rich in plant and geometric patterns, works of small sculpture and artistic crafts, etc.

Story

During their heyday, the Mayans managed to erect many architectural monuments that amaze us with their size and beauty. The crown jewel of this treasure is the Chichen Itza Temple, located on the Yucatan Peninsula in southern Mexico. It is believed that Chichen Itza was built in the second half of the first millennium, when the Mayan rulers ordered the construction Big city around three natural reservoirs. Thanks to those who fed the lakes underground sources city ​​population all year round had plenty of water.

Tens of thousands of Mayans participated in the construction of the city, intended for rulers and priests with their families. Ordinary members of the tribe lived in mud huts and worked tirelessly in the fields, providing the city with grain and meat and serving the ruling elite.

The Mayan rulers were gaining strength every year, so the sudden collapse of their empire at the end of the 9th century. seems all the more strange and surprising. Apparently, at this time Chichen Itza was simply abandoned by its inhabitants. Scientists have discovered such traces of disaster as drought, crop failure and famine, or a combination of all three, but this does not explain such a rapid decline of a powerful civilization. Only a small part of the Mayan Indians survived - so that in the 16th century. to be under the heel of Spain. Spanish chronicles mention the Maya as a primitive tribe living on the fruits of the surrounding jungle. It is not surprising that the European conquerors very quickly became masters of the situation.

The power of the ruler of Chichen Itza was symbolized by his throne, erected on the top of the Kukulcan pyramid. With a height of 30 m, it dominates all surrounding buildings. The complex iconography, as well as the numerical proportions incorporated into the construction, indicate that the Mayans had extensive technical knowledge. The pyramid itself can be considered an example of the "magic of numbers" used by the Mayans. On its ground floor there are 4 flights of stairs, each with 91 steps. 4 X 91+1 (the base itself)= 365, the number of days in a year. Opposite the Pyramid of Kukulkan stands the Temple of the Warriors (Templos de los Guerreros). Its landmark is the Hall of 1000 Columns, which supposedly served as a barracks. Its rear doors open onto a ball court measuring 91 x 36 m.

Images of snakes are ubiquitous in all structures of Chichen Itza. Kukulkan, the “serpent-crawling-out-of-the-tower,” and Quetzalcoatl, the “feathered serpent,” were considered the main deities of the Maya. And even the collapse of the state itself could not destroy faith in them. When in the 16th century When the Spaniards landed in Yucatan, the feathered serpent was still considered the main deity among the descendants of the Mayans and Mexican Aztecs.

Chronology

  • OK. 435-455: According to the much later chronicle of Chumayel, Chichen Itza was founded between 435 and 455. AD It is believed that the city was abandoned by its inhabitants towards the end of the 9th century. The Toltecs conquered it in 987.
  • 999: The Mayan ruler of Tula, named Quetzalcoatl after the main deity, died.
  • 1533: Yucatan is conquered by the Spanish.
  • 1841-1842: John Stevens's research began the scientific study of Chichen Itza.
  • 1904-1907: Speleologists discovered a spring considered "holy" or "mystical".
  • 1923: Systematic excavations at Chichen Itza begin. F 1988: Chichen Itza is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Chichen Itza - ancient Mayan city

Chichen Itza(Spanish) Chichen Itza) is an ancient Mayan city on the Yucatan Peninsula (Mexico). The name translated from the Mayan language means “Near the entrance to the Well of Itza” or “Mouth of the well of the water sorcerers.” In literal translation, “chi” from the Mayan language is translated as “mouth”, “chen” is “well”, “itsa” is the name of the Mayan tribe, according to legend they were the first to appear on our land. According to archaeologists and anthropologists, this city was built on the so-called “place of power.”

This ancient Mayan city was founded by the Itza tribe around the 7th century. During the reign of King Kakupakal, in the second half of the 9th century, the city became a leading power in the region. During this period, a number of majestic buildings in the "Puuc" style were built, such as the palace and observatory, which the Spanish conquerors later nicknamed Caracol (Snail).

In the 10th century, the Itza tribe suffered defeats in a war with their neighbors and left the city for a while. After some time, the Itza, in alliance with the Toltecs, under the leadership of the priest Quetzalcoatl (Kukulkan), recaptured Chichen. In 1047, the Halach-Vinik Pochekitsoy turned Chichen Itza into the capital of his new Toltec-May state. During this period, new buildings appeared in the city, such as:

1. Step pyramid of Kukulkan, 24 meters high;
2. Temple of warriors on a 4-step pyramid;
3. Temple of the Jaguar;
4. Group of a thousand columns;
5. Sacred cenote - a well 50 meters deep for sacrifices;
6. Large 135-meter ball field and other buildings.







In 1194, at the Battle of Chichencheen, the Chichen troops were defeated by the Uxmals, the high priest of Kukulkan, Hapaykan, was captured and executed. After 222 days, the capital was captured and burned by the Mayapans, commanded by Hunakkeel. The ruler of Chichen Itza, Chakshibchak, fled to Peten Itza.
After 1244, Chichen Itza completely lost its independence and the city was ruled by Mayapan representatives. At the end of the 15th century, the city was completely deserted, leaving behind a number of large architectural monuments of the Mayan and Toltec eras. Also preserved are statues of gods with characteristic Mayan plastic forms, reliefs depicting geometric and floral patterns, and other works of art and crafts.

Chichen Itza is included in the list of world cultural heritage The UNESCO ancient city is Mexico's second most popular tourist site. When traveling to Mexico, be sure to include Chichen Itza in your itinerary. In 2007, the Mayan city was included in the list of new wonders of the world.

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One of the most famous places A must-see for all tourists traveling in Mexico is the ancient city of Chichen Itza. Translated, its name means “Mouth of the well of the water sorcerers” or “Place near the well of the Itza tribe.” This place is mysterious, very colorful and even a little sinister.

Chichetz Itza - a world cultural heritage site

In the past the city was political and cultural center Maya-Toltec civilization. And now, having become one of the objects world heritage UNESCO, attracts a huge number of tourists. It is estimated that more than a million people visit this archaeological complex every year. Chichen Itza gained enormous popularity not only because it was quite well preserved. It has become the quintessence of religious beliefs and ideas about the structure of the universe and the surrounding world. A special influx of tourists occurred in December 2012. Believing in the ancient prophecy, many adherents of the famous calendar rushed to Chichen Itza, wanting to “meet” the end of the world among the ancient Mayan structures.

Chichen Itza: history of origin

It is quite difficult to reliably describe the history of the creation of the city, since there are practically no manuscripts left describing the ancient events of Chichen Itza - they were destroyed by the Spanish conquerors. Archaeological scientists believe that people first began to settle in this place in the 4th century, and the first urban structures began to be erected approximately in the 6th - 7th centuries. At the same time, the urban community arose. Until the 10th century Chichen Itza was a refuge for the Mayans. And by the end of the 10th century. the city was conquered by conquerors from Central Mexico - the Toltecs, who practiced sacrifices and served the cult of the Feathered Serpent. They did not destroy Chichen Itza, but on the contrary, they firmly took root in it. During the reign of the Toltecs, the city became one of the most powerful settlements of the Yucatan Peninsula. From the 11th century The Toltecs made it the capital of their empire. Over time, it gradually changed and increasingly acquired Toltec features. The symbiosis of two unique cultures made the ancient city truly unique. For unknown reasons, at the end of the 12th century. it was abandoned by the inhabitants and overgrown with jungle. Only in 1920 did archaeologists reveal its mysterious structures to the world.

The main attractions of the ancient Mayan city

The most famous building of the ancient city is the Pyramid of Kukulkan (or otherwise, the Pyramid of El Castillo). In 2007, it was included in the list of seven new wonders of the world. Chichen Itza was built in the 11th century. joint efforts of the Mayan and Toltec Indians. They erected a grandiose monument dedicated to the wind, Quetzalcoatl, who had the appearance of a feathered serpent with the head of a man. The Mayan Indians called the deity Kukulkan, that is, “feathered serpent.” This structure was created based on the cosmological and calendar knowledge of the Mayans and Toltecs. It reaches a height of 24 m, and its edges face all four cardinal directions. At the top of the pyramid there is a platform that was used in ancient times for making sacrifices.

Four steep and wide staircases lead to the site, each of which consists of 91 steps, which in total (together with the upper platform) gives the significant number 365, equal to the number of days in a solar year. On each side of the pyramid there are 18 sections - terraces. This number is also symbolic. It is equal to the number of months in the Mayan calendar. In addition, there are 52 stone reliefs on each of the four sides of the pyramid. They represent the coincidence of special Toltec calendar cycles - the daytime shiupoualli and the daytime tonalpohualli - which occurs once every 52 years. Interestingly, inside the sanctuary there is another nine-step pyramid, the entrance to which was found relatively recently. There is a relic there - the "Jaguar Mat" and the statue "Chak-Mool".

The second unique attraction of the city of Chichen Itza in Mexico is the famous Temple of the Warriors. It is located directly behind the El Castillo pyramid and is a monumental five-step pyramid reaching a height of 11.5 m.

It is surrounded on all sides by columns made in the shape of Toltec warriors. That is why the pyramid got its name. At its top there is a temple consisting of a hall and a sanctuary. An impressive staircase surrounded by balustrades leads to the temple. The entrance to the sanctuary is marked by snakes carved from stone. The temple has a stone altar resembling a low table, the legs of which are made in the shape of human figures. There is also an ugly stone idol of the Toltec deity Chak-Mool - a reclining demon holding a large empty dish in his hands and pressing it to his stomach. It is believed that it was on this dish that the priests burned the hearts of their victims.

Another mysterious attraction of the ancient Mayan city is the “Sacred Cenote”

Not only the Chichen Itza pyramids in Mexico deserve the attention of many tourists. North of the El Castillo monument there is another mysterious attraction called the “Sacred Cenote” (otherwise known as the “Well of Death”). This karst formation, unlike other wells, did not serve the Toltecs as a source of fresh water.

The priests threw victims into it, glorifying their gods. The "Well of Death" had a depth of 50 m and was considered a kind of portal to other world. In the period from 1910 - 1925. it was explored by Herbert Thompson, who recovered from it a large number of antiquities: gold, ceramics, rubber, obsidian and, of course, many human remains.

Pyramid of Osuari

Chichen Itza also has another karst formation - Cenote Stolok, which is located south of the Temple of Kukulcan. It, unlike the "Well of Death", was used by the Toltecs exclusively as a source drinking water. A little later, the scientist G. Thompson examined another interesting pyramid Chichen Itza - Osuari (otherwise known as the Crypt).

It, like the Temple of Kukulkan, was built with stairs on each of the four sides. Interestingly, in the center of the pyramid there is a deep vertical hole leading to natural cave. In it, Thompson found several interesting jade artifacts, as well as human remains.

Ball court

Another ominous attraction of the city of Chichen Itza is Tzompantli. It is a T-shaped platform, the walls of which are decorated with relief images of skulls.

Tzompantli was used to display the heads of victims as well as prisoners of war. To the west of the Temple of Skulls is one of the nine ball courts, striking in its grandiose size. Its length is 168 m and its width is about 70 m. It is believed that it was built in 864 AD. In the east of the site is the Temple of the Jaguar, which includes two sanctuaries. The upper sanctuary is located on the wall bordering the platform. They probably watched the ball game from here. The lower sanctuary is located on the outside of the site. Near its entrance there is a monument - the figure of a jaguar. In the northern part playground there is another building - the Temple of the Bearded Man. A staircase leads to its entrance, divided by two pillars. The inside of the temple is decorated with a relief, in the center of which is the figure of a man with a beard.

Karakol Observatory

To the south of the ball court are several other attractions, including the Red House, a building with a red façade, and the Caracol (translated as "snail shell"), a tower built on a platform. It is believed that it was used by the Mayan Indians for observing astronomical objects, calculating and therefore Caracol is also called the Observatory.

To the south of the tower there is another powerful Toltec structure, which the Spaniards called the “Convent” for its majestic and forbidding appearance. It reaches a height of 20 m, and its base is 70 m by 35 m. A wide staircase leads to the entrance to the monastery. The building itself is decorated with masks of the god Chaka and various relief patterns.

How to get to the ancient city of Chichen Itza?

This World Cultural Heritage Site is located 1.5 km from the small Mexican settlement of Piste, located between two major cities northern Yucatan - Cancun and Merida. You can get to the city of Chichen Itza yourself by renting a car or taking a bus (a ticket costs from 80 to 140 pesos, depending on the class). A taxi will cost you much more public transport, since the distance from Cancun or Merida is not close, about 200 km and 120 km, respectively. The archaeological area is open to visitors daily, from 8:00 to 17:00. If you want to save money, go sightseeing to the Mayans and Toltecs on Sunday, admission will be free.