Chichen Itza is one of the Seven Wonders of the New World. It was a Mayan city on the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico. The name has been derived from the Mayan language which means ‘at the mouth of the well of the Itza.’ The most famous attraction on the site is a step pyramid and a temple on the top of it.
In 1988, it was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Approximately 1.2 million people visit the site every year. This Mayan City is believed to be established in the early 400s A.D. It was one of the largest cities in the Mayan World.
Fast Facts: –
- During the Mayan Civilization, Chichen Itza was used as an observatory to reflect astronomical events.
- It was discovered for the first time in 514 AD by Lakin Chan and rediscovered in 1841 by American explorer John L. Stephens.
- The pyramids are built in the form of clusters and the most famous clusters are Old Chichen, The Ossario Group, The Great North Platform and The Central Group.
- The city may have been built where it is because there were two large natural sinkholes that provided water throughout the year.
- It has a platform known as the Kukulkan Pyramid which is dedicated to the planet Venus. This platform is located north of El Castillo.
- All the buildings of the site are made from stone and it is also though that no wheel was used in the construction.
- It is located in a dry and tropical forest which is mostly covered with thin soils.
- Visitors in the past were allowed to climb the steps of the pyramid but it was closed when a tourist died after an accident.
