Here are the top 10 things to do in Chichen Itza.
Chichen Itza is a must-see destination for anyone visiting the Yucatan Peninsula. Located just outside Cancun, the city can be reached by guided tour nearly every day of the year. But what should you do once you get there?
See Chacmools
The Toltecs were ancient warriors in the Mayan civilization. They were holy fighters in the service of their god, Quetzalcoatl, and Tezcatlipoca. Statues from the Toltecs can are found all around the city of Chichen Itza. However, the most famous is likely to be the Chacmool statues in the northern ruins.
Temple of Warriors
The Temple of Warriors is one of the most famous sites in all of Chichen Itza. This stepped temple is surrounded by massive square pillars that guard the steps leading up to the top of the temple. At the top, you will find another Chacmool guardian capping the temple itself.
The Hall of the Thousand Columns
Immediately outside of the Temple of Warriors on the southern side is the Hall of the Thousand Columns. These rows and rows of columns believed to have once supported the roof of an inside market place–which would have been central to the way of life in the area.
El Juego de Pelota de Chichen Itza
We know today that the Mayan people developed a high sense of culture, art, and entertainment, see what is the best things to do in this great Mayan City. The sport was a massive part of their everyday life. The famous Juego de Pelota here in Chichen Itza was the court where games occurred during religious celebrations.
Cenote Sagrado
The exact translation for Cenote Sagrado is the Sacred Cenote. This massive sinkhole is full of water nearly 82 meters deep. This watering hole was a sacred place for the Mayan people and served as a place of sacrificial rituals and pilgrimage from all over the region.
The Wall of Skulls
Known as Tzompantli, this massive stone wall is carved with the depictions of hundreds of human skulls. This morbid site was once the home of sacrifices, placed in the form of human heads on spikes. It’s a dark history, but one of the fascinating places in Chichen Itza.
The Temple of Jaguars
Jaguars played a prominent part in the Maya and Toltec people’s mythology and culture in the Yucatan region. Not far from the Juego de Pelota sits the stepped Temple of the Jaguars. This temple plays host to prominent fixtures such as serpents lining the stairways and the temple’s centerpiece–the carved statue of a Jaguar.
The Caracol Observatory
Known merely as Caracol, this towering monument was used as an observatory for high priests and ancient astronomers. The spiral stairs leading up the upper portion of the observatory are a wonder to behold. However, exciting are the slits that allowed light into the building throughout the year determines the date with pinpoint accuracy.
Cenote Ik Kil
Much like the Cenote Sagrado, this cenote is made from a massive sinkhole full of pure water. However, unlike Cenote Sagrado, Ik Kil is open to the public for swimming and diving. Here you can get adventurous by diving into the deep waters and experiencing the shade’s cool in the Yucatan heat.
El Castillo
El Castillo, The Castle, is perhaps the single most famous site in all of Chichen Itza. Known as the Temple of Kukulkan, this towering step pyramid is one of the complete pyramids in the entire world. This massive structure is the centerpiece of the whole city of Chichen Itza and you have to see it to believe it!
Final Thoughts.
The city of Chichen Itza is genuinely out of this world. Getting to see everything can take an entire day filled with hiking and incredible effort. However, all that effort is always worth it. You can see all of these wonders and so much more when you take a guided tour of Chichen Itza on your trip to Mexico!
