Chichén Itzá took a very important position for the Mayans who were living within the area that we know nowadays as the Yucatán Peninsula. Historically known as the most relevant city for the old Mayans who lived within this area, Chichén Itzá played a very important role in several fields including politics, economics and religion matters for a given population in the order of 30 000 inhabitants.

As a witness of what this amazing place used to be, today we can appreciate some vestiges of what was once an impressive city with roads, temples, markets and dwellings. The name “Chichén Itzá” means "At the mouth of the well of the Itzas". Up to now scholars have not been able to decipher all of their hieroglyphs on the pyramids, their rites, and the purpose of each of their erections. Nevertheless, we can still appreciate the glory and magnificence of ancient Chichén Itzá.

Chichén Itzá, now one of The New Seven Wonders of the World, is an interesting archaeological site worth exploring thoroughly. Visiting this fascinating will give you a unique understanding of how the Maya perceived the universe.

The city of Chichén Itzá started off as a small agricultural village composed of small huts, and eventually started to flourish around the year 325 A.D., when its inhabitants erected the stone buildings near the cenote Xtoloc known as the Sacred Cenote of Chichén Itzá.

Excavations have revealed that at first the city was scarcely populated whereas later on, it was carefully laid out leaving large spaces among the buildings. There are also walkways leading to the city traced out slightly above the ground, which were really white limestone roads called Sacbes that connected the Mayan cities.

What is Chichén Itzá and where did it come from?

Chichén Itzá is a Mayan ruin in the northern part of the Yucatán Peninsula of Mexico. It was built around 600 AD, over 1,400 years ago, by the ancient Mayans.
It is one of the most complete and impressive ruins in Central America, and is the second-most visited of Mexico's archaeological sites, with millions of visitors each year.

The main structure at Chichén Itzá

The largest, and most impressive, structure at Chichén Itzá is The Castle. It is a step pyramid, and stands nearly 100 feet tall. El Castillo is the temple for the Mayan god, Kukulcan.

It used to be open to the public for climbing, but to preserve it and for the safety of the tourists, it has been closed down. This is unfortunate for those that never got to climb it, but you have to agree with the decision to preserve it for future generations

Something interesting about The Castle is that on the spring and fall equinoxes, the sun hits the structure in such a way as to cause shadows on the sides of the pyramid that look like serpents. This event is believed to have been of great religious significance to the Mayan civilization.

How to get to Chichén Itzá

Chichén Itzá is about a 2 hour drive from Cancún, and trips are made daily by several tours. On the trip I went on, we left Cancún at 9:00 in the morning, stopped at a very nice Mexican buffet for lunch, and made it to Chichén Itzá by about 1:00. I, along with family, explored the place and we stayed until about 6:00 pm.

Getting to Chichén Itzá is pretty painless, and every hotel has some kind of tour package or arrangements for going there. Chichén Itzá is such a prominent tour destination, and if you go out shopping, you'll probably be confronted with people trying to sell you tours to it or another Mayan ruin.

I think it's best and safest to talk to the hotel and book a tour through them. Otherwise, there are places like Cancún Travel that are good to book through. When booking, make sure some kind of food stop is included, as well as a tour guide is included. My tour guide had some interesting information and stories to tell, and he was also of Mayan descent and could speak the Maya language. It was cool.

There is also the alternative of driving to Chichén Itzá yourself. I, personally, wouldn't do it because it's a hassle going through the checkpoints and stuff, plus I'm bad with directions. I remember going through at least 3 checkpoints and toll stations, so there's something else to worry about. Tour packages have that all included and taken care of, so I prefer that route.

In 2007, The Castle was voted as one of the Seven Wonders of the World. It joins the Great Wall of China, Taj Mahal, the Great Pyramid of Egypt, and others.

Tips For a Good Tour to Chichén Itzá

-Book your tour through someplace trustworthy, such as your hotel or Cancún Travel.

-Make sure a food stop is included, as well as a tour guide if you don't want to explore by yourself.

-Be sure to take a lot of water to Chichén Itzá. The jungle gets very hot and steamy. However, there are vendors there selling drinks such as Gatorade and soda pop.

-Take some money to buy things. There are vendors galore at Chichén Itzá selling t-shirts, Mayan souvenirs, and much more.

-Related to the tip above, don't pay the prices vendors are asking. They are usually quite expensive, and the price can be brought down a LOT.

-Learn some Mayan history before you go. It will make the trip so much more enjoyable.

-Take bug repellent. The rainforest can be vicious.

-No video cameras, unless you want to pay a $25 federal fee. Pictures only!

-Be safe, smart, and have a good time!

More information about Chichén Itzá

Chichén Itzá is a large pre-Columbian archaeological site built by the Maya civilization located in the northern center of the Yucatán Peninsula, in the Yucatán state, present-day Mexico.

Chichén Itzá was a major regional center in the northern Maya lowlands from the Late Classic through the Terminal Classic and into the early portion of the Early Postclassic period. The site exhibits a multitude of architectural styles, from what is called "Mexicanized" and reminiscent of styles seen in central Mexico to the Puuc style found among the Puuc Maya of the northern lowlands.