“Chichen  Itza”

  

Chichen  Itza   which means “at the mouth of the well of Itza “.  Today  is the 2nd most visited archeological site of “Mexico”. The Kukulkan  Pyramid in  Chichen-Itza  which known as “El Castillo” (the castle), is one of the new seven wonders of the world elected in 07 july 2007. It is exactly 24 m. high  considering the upper platform. Apart from the Kukulkan Pyramid, in Chichen Itza there many  other  archaeological sites to visit, all carrying traces from  Mayan Culture  in many ways. . Chichen Itza  was the most important political, economic and religious center  for  the  Mayan civilization, during its golden years.

Chichen Itza  was recently named one of the New Seven Wonders of the World, after a worldwide voting via the internet. Since 1988 “UNESCO” has considered the archeological city as a World Heritage Site. These titles are well deserved by Chichen Itza, since it is only through the understanding of the rituals held there and the engravings on buildings throughout the city that we can fully comprehend the ancient wisdom the Mayans, some of which is still relevant today.

The fascinating fact of the Mayans is the perfect harmony they had with nature, reflected through the special arrangement of the buildings in the city, built to coincide with significant astronomical phenomena.

The part of Chichen Itza open to the public consists of 17 constructions, many of which have partially been restored or reconstructed, using the same materials as the Maya, now a days. There are also two cenotes definitely worth visiting, which are natural water wells formed by rainwater filtered through the limestone walls.

Once, In the center of the archaeological site, visitors immediately focus their attention on the imposing beauty and impressive size of the Temple of Kukulcan, also known as ''El Castillo'' (The Castle), for it is one of the highest buildings constructed by the Mayans. The temples four sides each has a stairway running up it and the base of the north side is watched over by two gigantic snake heads, representing the plumed serpent or god Kukulcan.

There's another part of Chichen Itza not yet open to visitors known as''Chichen Viejo'' (Old Chichen). This part of the site has 13 more structures of varying dimensions and two large plazas.

         Once this area is ready for tourists, visitors may be able to wander through the almost 19 square miles that this city covered in its heyday.

 For over 1,000 years, Chichen Itza was a center of pilgrimage for the ancient Maya. The Sacred “Cenote “(a large natural well or limestone sink hole) was holy to the ancient Rain God "Chac".

About 987 the ruler of the Toltec people of central Mexico came here, and with his Maya allies made Chichen Itza the most powerful city in the Yucatan. The ruler called himself "Kukulcan", the name of the Mesoamerican Feathered Serpent deity (also known as "Quetzalcoatl") and Chichen Itza became a center for worship of that god as well. More buildings were built here in a mixture of Maya and Toltec styles.

About 1221 the Maya revolted against the rulers of Chichen Itza. The city was not abandoned, but as political power shifted elsewhere it declined and no major new buildings were constructed. Chichen Itza remained a place of pilgrimage for the Maya until it was conquered by the Spanish Conquistadors in the 16th century.

The structures of Chichen Itza were overgrown with jungle and slowly decayed until major archaeological projects began in the 1920s. Since then, more of the ancient structures have been cleared and restored and more and more tourists come to visit.