These are the vestiges of a fascinating civilization of times past. Well informed guides speaking all major languages are available for hire here, or explore on your own with a guide book and map.
The Pyramid of Kukulcan or El Castillo -- the most famous landmark of Chichen Itza. This was a temple-pyramid dedicated to the Feathered Serpent God, Kukulcan. It is nicknamed "The Castle". Sculptures of the Feathered Serpents run down the sides of the northern staircase, and are set off by shadows from the corner tiers on the Spring and Fall equinox. (As of January 2006, you can no longer climb El Castillo.)
Interior Temple The Maya would often build newer bigger temple-pyramids atop older ones. Archaeologists have constructed tunnels allowing a view of the earlier temple of Kukulcan inside the later one. Go in the door at the foot of the north stairway, and you can go up a steep interior stairway up to the room on the top where you can see King Kukulcan's Jaguar Throne, carved of stone and painted red with jade spots. It is an impressive sight, but the climb up the narrow interior passageway may be too much for those with some claustrophobia. Note to those travelling to Chichen-Itza post March 2006: You are no longer able to climb the steps to the top of the most of the monuments. These areas have been roped off due to erosion and destruction of some of the sacred monuments.
Temple of the Warriors (As of January 2006, you can no longer climb the Temple of the Warriors)
Chac Mool - used for sacrice at Temple of Warriors
The Great Market
Great Ballcourt - there are 7 courts for playing the Mesoamerican ballgame at Chichen Itza. This one is by far the largest and most impressive, not just at the site but in all of ancient Mesoamerica.
Temple of the Jaguars - Attached to the ballcourt complex, with stone jaguar, feathered serpent columns, and murals inside.
Sweatbaths - there are many Zumbul che structures found in both Chichen Itza and Old Chichen sites. These Maya sweatbaths played an important rule in ancient Maya spiritual traditions as places to purify the mind, body, and emotions, thus getting in touch with one´s pure spiritual energy.
Platform of the Skulls
Cenote of Sacrifice
El Caracol - circular temple on a rectangular platform, also sacred to Kukulcan, served as an astronomical observatory.
El Caracol aka The Observatory
High Priest's Grave - a smaller version of the "Castillo" served as a tomb for one of the city's rulers.
The Nunnery Complex - Chichen Itza's royal palace back before the arrival of the Toltecs
The Red House
House of Deer
Temple of the Wall Panels
Akab' Dzib - palace with hieroglyphic inscriptions
Xtoloc Cenote
Old Chichen - another group of buildings and temples a few minutes walk from the center of the site. Old Chichen is clustered within the private property of Hacienda Chichen and not open to public visits. This Maya archaeological site is south of the commonly visited Maya ruins. It is part of the Maya Jungle Reserve and Nature Trails and open only to the Hacienda Chichen guests and visitors for birdwatching and horseback-riding tours. Currently a few Maya temples are under reconstruction by INAH, they include:
Initial Series Group
Temple of the Phalli
Platform of the Great Turtle
Temple of the Owls
Temple of the Monkeys
Nearby are:
The Caves of Balankanche, where a large selection of ancient pottery and idols may be seen still in the positions where they were left in Pre-Columbian times.
At night:
Light & Sound Show - If you visited the ruins during the day, you can return re-enter with the same ticket for the night show, which takes places in the center of the ruins. There's a light show and a narrative in Spanish (headsets for other languages are available for a small fee ($25 MN pesos in August 2008)). The show lasts around an hour and while it may not be the most exciting, on a nice night it is a pleasant way to relax, watch the stars and see the ruins lit up. They tell a great tale, which is very well done. If you do stay for the show, keep in mind it will be dark, very dark, when you leave the grounds. Have a flashlight and be familiar with how to get back to the main road, signs are almost non-existant. If you can plan to be there at a "full moon", it will be worth the effort, add to the experience and photographic results. An alternate plan is to arrive in the area in the afternoon, see the Light & Sound Show that evening, the ruins in the morning, and depart the following afternoon - your admission on the first evening grants a discount on the next day, making it about the same price.
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Chichen Itza
Where To Stay & Best Hotels in Chichen Itza - updated Apr 2024
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Chichen Itza Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.
