When most people visualize the classic civilizations of Mesoamerica, they picture El Castillo in Mexico, the well preserved pyramid rising above the Mayan ruins of Chichen Itza on the Yucatan peninsula. Located only two or three hours inland from the modern resort destinations at Cancun and the Mayan Riviera, Chichen Itza is one of the top tourist attractions in Mexico. An estimated two million visitors come to see the ruins there each year on day trips from the coast or visit it after staying in Valladolid or Merida.

History of Mayan and Toltec Cultures at Chichen Itza

It is surprising that a remote inland village settled in 425 AD during the Classic period of Mayan history grew into one of the largest cities in the western hemisphere during the first millennium. However, archeologists believe that the city developed an extensive road system, a large water supply from nearby underground rivers and cenotes, and a vibrant commercial network that traded goods with other cities in the Americas for hundreds of years. By the 8th century AD, Chichen Itza had become one of the most cosmopolitan centers of the Mayan world with an estimated population of 50,000 people. Numerous ceremonial, governmental and commercial structures built out of stone adorned its core. These buildings were upgraded and new ones were added in subsequent centuries as Toltec influence grew in the region.

Although Chichen Itza remained an important city for over five hundred years, it fell into a steady decline during the 13th and 14th centuries like most other Mayan kingdoms. Theories abound as to whether decades of drought, overpopulation, disease or conflicts with rivals caused it to lose influence. Whatever the cause, by the time the Spanish arrived in the area in the early 1500s, Chichen Itza was a small village again and dominated by the rulers of nearby Mayapan. As the years passed, both Spanish authorities and local ranchers moved out of the area. The site was "rediscovered" with great fanfare in 1841 by British cartographer Frederick Catherwood and American adventurer John Lloyd Stephens, who had mounted several expeditions to Central America. Their explorations uncovered many forgotten and abandoned Mayan cities including Chichen Itza, Palenque, Uxmal, and Tulum. Stephens' descriptions and Catherwood's dramatic drawings of these exotic locations created a public sensation and they authored several best selling books about their travels to the region.  

Despite this publicity, it wasn't until the 20th century that American archeologists such as Edward Thompson and Sylvanus Morley commenced periodic excavations of the buildings and jungle there in cooperation with Mexican authorities. Since that time, almost three square miles of ruins have been uncovered and Chichen Itza's secrets continue to be discovered using modern technologies such as LIDAR ground penetrating radar and remote robots. The classic architecture of these structures and the role which Chichen Itza played in promoting the culture and practices of the Mayan and Toltec civilizations throughout the Yucatan region beginning in the 10th century, led UNESCO to designate it as a World Heritage Site in 1988. Subsequently, in 2007, the site was named as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World in an international contest conducted by a private Swiss foundation. 

Touring the Principal Sites at Chichen Itza 

A tour of the entire Chichen Itza site could easily take two days with a private guide but most people end up with only four to six hours on site to see the major structures and learn some basic information about the place. When I first visited Chichen Itza in 1985, you could walk right onto the site from the parking lot but now all tourists must enter the visitors center to purchase tickets and get a map of the different attractions. The visitors center includes  a restaurant, bookstore, bathrooms and a small auditorium. A new visitors center and museum with hundreds of archeological finds from the site is planned for completion over the next few years. Depending on your tastes, here are some of the major places worth visiting during an initial visit to Chichen Itza: 

1.  El Castillo - The first stop on any tour of Chichen Itza is to walk across the flat field to view the impressive pyramid of El Castillo which towers 98 feet above the surroundings.  The four sides of the pyramid each have stairways leading to a small ceremonial building on the top. Each stairway is guarded at the base by a feathered serpent representing Kukulkan, a deity in the Mayan religion. There are many features of celestial significance built into the pyramid. There are 365 steps leading to the top with one step for each day of the year. During the fall and spring equinoxes, the sun causes light to run down the backs of the serpents on each staircase. There are still many mysteries surrounding the pyramid such as whether human sacrifices were performed in the altar building on top as in some other mesoamerican cultures. There is also uncertainty as to exactly when the existing pyramid was completed since tests have revealed it was constructed over one or more older pyramids. The experience of visiting El Castillo has changed significantly over the years. Visitors can no longer touch the pyramid or climb the steep incline of the primary staircase themselves with nothing but a large chain to guide them as was the case in the past. While not as large as the great pyramids of Egypt or those at Teotihuacan or Cholula in Mexico, El Castillo made an impressive statement of religious, military and political power to people visiting or living in the city in prior centuries that still resonates today.

2. Ball Court - The Ball Court at Chichen Itza is the largest one that has been uncovered in the Mayan world to date and it has given rise to many different theories about the purpose of the games played there and the participants.  It is clear that the game was played for centuries in Central America on a long rectangular field with two walls on either side and that each team of players attempted to put a rubber ball through a small stone circle attached to one of the walls.  Carvings on the walls and the surrounding buildings suggest that the players wore special helmets and body coverings, and had to use their bodies to maneuver the ball around the field.  Rumors that the captain or all of the members of the winning team were sacrificed to the Gods remain popular but unconfirmed. 

3. Wall of Skulls - Historians have long debated the extent to which military conquest and violence were important characteristics of Mayan culture and politics.  One structure that has contributed to this reputation is the Wall of Skulls at Chichen Itza. It features a large stone platform with carvings of human skulls on it. It is believed that the decapitated skulls of enemy soldiers and possibly criminals were piled up on this platform in public view along one of the many paved roads in the city. 

4. Sacred Cenote - Cenotes or large pools of fresh water sunken into the limestone soil of the Yucatan were critical to the survival of the Mayan people. These cenotes and the many underground rivers of the area provided a water supply for settlers and supported commercial trade between different cities. The large cenote at the north end of Chichen Itza is more than 200 feet across and has smooth cliff-like sides, cascading vines, and several platforms around it. With a water depth of over 100 feet, this cenote was viewed as a connection to the spiritual world and over the years many Mayans threw valuable gifts into it. Dredgings of the cenote over the past hundred years have yielded thousands of artifacts, but also confirmed that at some point several hundred human sacrifices of mostly children to the rain god Chaac had taken place there as well.

5. Temple of the Warriors-  The Temple of the Warriors building at Chichen Itza is one of the most impressive Mayan structures in the region. This 40 foot high and 133 foot wide building had a roof and four platforms that were supported by more than 200 columns, so it is believed to have been used for large gatherings. There are many carvings and reliefs in the building that display representations of various Mayan gods, Toltec warriors, and animals that were important to the Mayans such as eagles and jaguars. One popular statue located in the building is a reclining "Chac Mool" figure holding a ceremonial bowl on his stomach.  These statues were believed to have been used originally by priests as an offering table for gifts and animal sacrifices to the gods, and were later used by the Aztecs for human sacrifices.  

6. Observatory - There are several dozen other structures to see at Chichen Itza. Many people are fascinated by the El Caracol building which was used as an observatory to study the sky and the stars. The observatory has a large domed structure which was placed at the top of a platform reached by a grand staircase. Mayans were fascinated by the planet Venus and often watched it to determine plans for war and battle. 

As with many lost civilizations around the world, the ruins at Chichen Itza and other Mayan cities being uncovered in Central America raise many questions. Seeing these cities and their artifacts emerge from the jungle remains an exotic experience for travelers.