Chichén Itzá

"The city on the edge of the well of the Itzáes"

Located 115 km from the city of Mérida, recognized and declared by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. Furthermore, its Kukulkán Castle was declared one of the seven wonders of the modern world.
It was one of the largest and most powerful settlements in the central-northern part of the Yucatan peninsula.

Chichén Itzá had an extension of approximately 25 km2. The religious and administrative centre covered 6 km2, at a short distance the elite lived in palace-like buildings, decorated and painted in bright colours. Around these, between 50,000 and 100,000 people lived in palm-roofed palapas.

The Itzaes settled in Chichén Itzá in approximately the 9th century AD, gradually forging an extensive domain whose centre was Chichén Itzá. At the end of the 10th century, the city was invaded by the Toltecs; this invasion brought a series of new cultural elements, most notably the representation of the god Kukulkan.

In approximately 1250 A.D., the inhabitants left the city for reasons that have not yet been clarified. The power that this city developed was so great and important that even after the time of its decline it continued to be a place of pilgrimage and worship.

It has a historical and cultural legacy like few other places in the world, its imposing heritage, from one of the greatest civilizations in the world, goes beyond the main esplanade, since they all have their own meaning. The Sacred Cenote, center of the religious activities of the entire Mayan area and where their gods were worshiped; the Ball Court, The Observatory and the Temple of the Thousand Columns and, of course, the imposing Kukulkán Castle or Pyramid with 60 meters per side and where twice a year, during the lunar equinoxes of spring and autumn, it can be observed a mysterious game of light and shadow so that in appearance the serpent seems to gradually descend the stairs of this great pyramid until it completes the illumination of the feathered serpent. For the Mayan mystics it was a time of renewal of energy.

In addition to the regular tour (during the day), the Archaeological Zone of Chichén Itzá can be visited in two additional ways: at night to enjoy a light and sound show called: “Nights of Kukulkán” with the story of history of the Mayans in simultaneous translation; and at sunrise on the famous tour "Chichén at dawn", an attractive option for those looking for a unique experience.