A about 130 kilometers west of the city of Mérida lies the most impressive and best-preserved Mayan city of all time, Chichén Itzá, an improbable site that awaits you with hundreds of incredible treasures so you can embark on a journey through time to one of the oldest civilizations in Mexico and the American continent.
The lush jungle that engulfs everything and the centuries that have passed until today could not prevent a group of renowned archaeologists and anthropologists from uncovering some of the best-kept secrets of Chichen Itza. Today at the site, it is possible to understand a great deal about the worldview, astrology, exchanges, and daily life of the Mayans through imposing buildings that remain unscathed and majestic, as if in defiance of the relentless passage of time.
Chichen Itza also stands out because its constructions showcase a fusion of the characteristic architecture of the Mayan world and influences from other pre-Hispanic styles from various regions of Mexico. This intertwining of meanings gives the ancient citadel a very special aura and recently transformed it into one of the New 7 Wonders of the World.
The building known as El Caracol is composed of a series of concentric circles built in a spiral and is believed to have served strictly religious and spiritual purposes. Rituals of observing celestial bodies were conducted by prominent individuals, especially elders of the citadel, and gained strength from the worldviews of the population that supported them.
The Ball Court is another of Chichén Itzá’s most representative buildings, a site dedicated to the classic leisure game that can still be observed today thanks to the preservation of its main components: the tribune, the Temple of the Jaguars, and the Temple of the Tigers speak to the rules of one of the most famous games of the Mayan world.
On the other hand, the Temple of Kukulcan stands out in its majesty and elegance. Better known as The Castle, this is undoubtedly the most iconic building of the ancient Mayan citadel, a temple with four faces, each with a staircase of symmetrical steps. The Temple of Kukulcan is steeped in myths and legends surrounding superstitions that arose from the discovery of symmetries and numerical correspondences in the stones that compose it. But beyond this, the truth is that, through it, twice a year, one can witness one of the most marvelous spectacles in the world: on March 21 and September 23, an immense shadow can be seen descending from the sky onto the balustrade of the castle’s northern staircase to ultimately position itself on one of the two large heads at the base of the building.
Therefore, if on your next vacation to Mexico you really want to witness something magical and unforgettable, uncover all the secrets of Chichen Itza, one of the New 7 Wonders of the World, and allow yourself to be captivated by the mystique of the ancient Mayan culture, one of the most fascinating in the American continent.
Portuguese Versión: Decifre todos os segredos de Chichen Itza, uma das Novas 7 Maravilhas do Mundo
