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Chichen Itza ruins – |
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When you first arrive, head over to El Castillo (also called Kulkukan's Pyramid), in the northern area of "New Chichen." Other highlights in this area are the Great Ball Court, Tzompantli, and Temple of Warriors. |
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 El Castillo – El Castillo, with four ramps and nine levels, is a temple for the king-deity Kukulkan ("feathered serpent," also known as Quetzalcoatl). At the bottom of one ramp are two feathered serpent heads. Alas, you can no longer climb to the top for fabulous views of ruins and jungle in distance.
Tip: At spring and fall equinox, shadow on the stairs looks like body of Kukulkan. |
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Great Ball Court – The biggest ball court in pre-Columbian America, players on the two teams competed to hit a rubber ball through a stone ring on either wall. Not just a monumental setting for games, losers or even winners may have lost their head at the end of the game. |
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Tzompantli – Four rows of skulls are carved in the stone on the Tzompantli, "platform of skulls" platform. Heads of dead enemies were displayed on
the wall. Also look for reliefs with images of eagles, serpents, and warriors each holding a severed head. |
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Temple of Warriors – It's not possible to climb the temple, so bring binoculars to look at the reclining chacmool statue (probably used in sacrifice offerings) and two columns with feathered serpents at the top of the stairs. The square columns around the base are decorated with warriors in armor and feathered headdresses. |
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Sacred Cenote – Before you leave this area, take a short walk to the cenote, "sacred well of sacrifice." The water might look a little green, but into this well the Maya tossed people, gold figurines, jade,
precious items, sacrifices to the god Chac (Chac was the god of rain, but also brought storms and war). |
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Mayan
house – Don't miss this re-creation of a Mayan family home. The
mud walls are painted red, the roof is thatched, the floor is dirt. A Mayan
house was simply furnished with clay pottery cooking pots and mats to sleep
on. |
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Caracol – In
"Old Chichen," check out the Caracol observatory. The Maya made
amazingly accurate astronomical calculations using sight lines from the
door and windows on the Caracol. |
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The Nunnery (Edificio de las Monjas) – Not a nunnery, this was a palace complex, decorated with fabulous reliefs of the rain god Chac. Chac with a hook nose and stylized flowers over his eyes, is both fearsome and benevolent. The rectangular building next door (Iglesia) look for Chac on each of the four corners. |
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Visitor Center at the main entrance has exhibits about Mayan culture, and
a model of the Chichen Itza complex overall. You can also buy souvenirs, local crafts your child's name in Mayan hieroglyphics. |
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Sound and Light show in the evening. Being out under the stars
with El Castillo and ruins all lit up is impressive –splashy images and motifs projected onto the pyramid. |
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Look for animals, mythological creatures and deities – Throughout the ruins, look for jaguars and eagles, feathered serpents (snake head with fangs, feathers for body), and god of rain, Chac. |
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Tip: The National Museum of Anthropology in Chapultepec Park Mexico City has artifacts from Chichen Itza, along with the Great Museum of the Maya World in Merida. |
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Cenote Ik Kil – If your kids are good swimmers (there's no shallow end here),
go for a swim in the Cenote Ik Kil, the "sacred blue well."
Stairs leading down to the water make it easy to climb in and out. The water
is incredibly clear – bring your snorkels. |
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Balankanche Caves – The Yucatan Peninsula sits
on a limestone plain. As water seeps through the limestone, caves are formed
with stalactites and stalagmites. The Balankanche Caves were used by the
Maya to make ceremonial offerings to the rain god. The highlight of the
cave tour is a huge cavern with an enormous stalagmite in the middle, like
a pillar reaching to the ceiling. Mayan ceramic ceremonial objects are arranged
around the stalagmite. The trail through the cave is wide, but be prepared
for warm temperatures. |
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Illustrated history of Chichen Itza, great city of the ancient Maya, life and culture, religion, astronomy, uncovering the ruins, and latest discoveries – inner structure inside El Castillo and sacred well underneath the pyramid. (Chapter book)
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Get to know
the ancient Maya, their cities, temples (including El Castillo) and palaces in the rainforest, society, arts and religion, plus fun facts about the ancient Maya – flat foreheads
and large noses were considered beautiful, wealthy Maya wore jaguar skins,
jade was highly prized. (Picture book)
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Eveningstar
Macaw defies the evil influence of the Mayan high priest, Great
Skull Zero. After the high priest sacrifices her brother, she herself
is thrown into the sacred well, but survives and returns with a
message from the gods. (Chapter book)
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