Chichen Itza: A Melting Pot

This is it. The big cheese—the big Cheese- Chen Itza.

There are not many people in this part of the world who haven’t heard of Chichen Itza. Actually, being a UNESCO World Heritage site and the second most visited archaeological site in Mexico, there are not many people who haven’t heard of Chichen Itza, period.

A slice of Chichen Itza’s rich history

There’s not one single culture plastered in Chichen Itza’s many ornaments. This is a kingdom that not only established alliances with several other cultures—like the Toltecs—but absorbed their architecture, art, and even religious beliefs into its own, as well.

Chichen Itza’s celebrity structures

Let’s cut to the chase. We’ve all seen Chichen Itza’s famous pyramid, the Kukulkan Palace. It is the subject of countless postcards and posters and the inspiration for all kinds of works of fiction—Hollywood included. It’s so well-preserved, you would think it was built only yesterday. Sadly, visitors are not allowed to climb it, but that doesn’t apply to the serpent-god Kukulkan, who famously descends its stairways every equinox.

The famous Mayan Observatory is here, too. A melting pot of cultures, Chichen Itza Mayans were sky-watchers and astronomers. Their multi-storied observatory is surrounded by many apertures from where they observed the stars and recorded what they saw.

Chichen Itza is home to the largest ballgame court ever found, too. Though many others have been found all over Mexico, the one in Chichen Itza’s murals hold invaluable information about the rules of the game. They also mention what happens to the losing team—we wouldn’t recommend it.

There’s way too much to see in Chichen Itza to record it all in a few lines. We’ll just say this: there’s a reason why so many people descend on this mystical site every year from all over the world—and return time and time again.

Is it far away?

Not at all. It’s just 75 miles away from Yucatan’s capital, Merida. And, being such an important site, there are countless places to stay the night. You’ll find one for you—guaranteed.