Chichén Itzá – Mayan Ruins in The Yucatán, Mexico

Deep inside the Yucatán peninsula is one of the best known Mayan Ruins, Chichén Itzá. It was declared a World Heritage by UNESCO in 1988 and is a goal in many people’s bucket lists.

I don’t really know what to write about the Mayans ruins of Chichén Itzá that hasn’t written in more detail that I can provide so I’ll just share a few of the things that stood out most for me when I travelled this area.

The Pyramid at Chichén Itzá

While travellers are no longer allowed to climb this massive monument it’s still an amazing sight to see. The pyramid is named the Temple of Kukulcan (Kukulcan is the feathered serpent god known as Quetzalcoatl to the Aztecs), and is also nicknamed El Castillo (The Castle). It is believed to be built between 300 and 450 CE and astounds astrologers and architects to this day with it’s precision.

This pyramid has 7 tiers, a staircase with 91 steps one each side making a total of 364 steps, with the chamber platform that equals 365, one for each day of the year. If that wasn’t impressive enough on the Spring and Autumn equinoxes the shadows of the snakes on each side staircases appear to slither down the Pyramid and for the Summer and Winter equinoxes precisely half the pyramid is totally in shadow!

The thing that really made this pyramid (and many Mayan pyramids) special to me is it’s sound! Yup, you read that right, if you clap your hands at it’s base it echoes back an almost mechanical chirping sound that is very similar to the nearly extinct Quetzl bird that is sacred to the Mayans. Even more amazing is that in Chichén Itzá that same clap also seems to echo back the sound of a rattle snake off the Temple of the Warriors a split second after the bird sound. It takes a bit to find the right spot to clap to get the effect of both sounds, but it’s worth it to hear that at least once in a lifetime. It feels as if perhaps the spirit of Kukulcan (Quetzalcoatl), is there still listening and answering the people who visit. Definitely an amazing experience to perhaps hear what a God sounds like!

The Great Ball Court

This was a brutal game even without the sacrifices that often happened after the game was finished! The Great Ball Court of Chichén Itzá is 166 metres (545 feet) long and 68.5 metres (225 feet) wide.

Archaeologists aren’t 100% positive about the size of the balls used by the ancient Mayans but some believe they may have been around 20 cm (8 inches) in around (about the size of a volleyball) and weighed between 3 and 4 kg (6½-9 lbs) and couldn’t be hit with hands or feet. The goal was to get the ball though the hoop that’s 7 meters (23 feet) high and really didn’t look much bigger than the ball was supposed to be.

This seemingly impossible game was sometimes played with full teams, at other times it was a game with only 2 players. It also was sometimes played to the death and often the winning team was sacrificed. (The Mayans believed this to be a big honour that allowed them instant access to heaven, so many believe it was the winners that were killed. Others say that it was the losers.) On the walls surrounding the court are many detailed carvings showing the sacrifices.

As with many Mayan sites the acoustics in this area are amazing, whispers from one of the raised temple areas at each end can be clearly heard at the other… yes, 166 metres away!

Some Photos I Took When I Travelled This Area

Temple of Kukulcan

One of the most famous pyramids in the world. With patience and a quick finger it's still possible to get a good photo without tourists in it. :)

Mayan Ball Court

The Mayan ball courts were huge!

Ball Court Goal Hoop

Imagine trying to get a ball though that without using your hands!

Sacrifical Details

This photo shows a very detailed scene of one of the sacrifices being made.

Jaguar

This is pretty amazing, the original paint is still visible in some spots!

Cenote Segrado

One of the water filled sink holes, this one was used for (you guessed it) sacrifices.

Group of a Thousand Columns

Originally this would have had a roof on it, even without seeing so many perfectly placed columns is pretty spectacular.

Another Cenote

Not too far away is another cenote, this beautiful water filled sinkhole is used as a spot to swim in. If you look closely you can see a rainbow in the waterfall.

Inside the Cenote

I can't swim but I did go into the Cenote to explore a bit from the ledge. Here's a photo looking up to ground level.

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Interesting Sites with More Info:

World Mysteries – Chichén Itzá
Shows pictures of the ruins before restoration and tells more about it’s history.

Acoustical Society of America – The Mayan Pyramid of Kukulkan at Chichen Itza
Has more info about the echoes in the area including an mp3 of both the quetzal chirps and the echo of a clap.

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Tagged as: Ancient Ruins, Mexico, Photos