Chichen Itza, located it in the
Yucatan Peninsula, it was the most important Maya capital
at the end of the classic period (750 to 1200 A.D.)
The city is home to several buldings that are remarkable for their architectural design,
religious, and scientific significance.
Among these buildings are the Temple of Kukulkan (feathered serpent), the Temple of the
Warriors, the Sacred Cenote (Well of Sacrifice), and the Observatory.
The Temple of Kukulkan is one of the tallest and most notable structures in Mayan
architecture. The Temple sits on a 55.5 meter wide rectangular platform and rises to a
height of 24 meters.
Each of its four sides has 91 steps and the platform that crowns the pyramid is
considered the 365th step. That means there is one step for each day of the solar calendar.
During the months of March and September,visitors can enjoy a wonderful experience. A corner
of the Temple of Kukulkan casts a shadow in the shape of a giant feathered serpent that
appears to move its way down the side of the North staircase with the movement of the sun.
This is a natural phenomenon of light and shadow that attracts visitors from all
parts of the world.
The Sacred Cenote (Well of Sacrifice) was reserved for rituals involving human sacrifice
that were offered to the God of rain.
The victims were young women, children, elderly women, and men.
The Observatory or "El Caracol" spanish for snail for its stone spiral interior staircase,
is a cylindrical building with a dome that was used as an astronomical observatory that
helped to determine the complex but extremely exact Mayan calendar.