Chichen Itza in Yucatan Peninsula

Kukulcan, the Main Temple at Chichen Itza
Photo by: kyle simourd, Creative Commons

Chichen Itza was founded by the Maya in 400 A.D. and is located in the north central Yucatan Peninsula, now called Mexico. Chichen is located 75 miles from Merida and has a history of 1500 years. It was the primary location for different ceremonies and is believed to have been governed by priests. Chichen Itza means “At the mouth of the well of Itza”. The word Chi stands for ‘mouth’, Chen for ‘well’ and Itza for ‘the Itza tribe’. The people who lived there are believed to have sacrificed objects and humans to their god. Those who survived the ordeal were thought to be seers.
The site contains many buildings and temples of stone in various stages of preservation. The site is built in different architectural styles that show a cultural mix of Mayan and non-Mayan civilization. The Chichen Itza site has three divisions in total: the north, central, and south groups. One group is in the Toltec style, and the others give an idea about the Chichen Itzan culture. Since the site is one of the most famous Mayan Pyramids, it has been thoroughly researched by private agencies.
Chichen Itza is now a federal property maintained by Mexico’s national Institute of Anthropology and History. The best time for site seeing is either early morning or late in the afternoon.