Overview
A major city of the Maya world from around the ninth century, Chichén Itzá spreads its temples, ball court and observatory across a wide site on the Yucatán plain. Its centrepiece, the pyramid of El Castillo, is a calendar in stone, and at the spring and autumn equinoxes the afternoon sun throws a shadow of a serpent down its staircase. A World Heritage site and one of Mexico’s most visited, it is reached on day trips from Mérida, Cancún and the coast.
Highlights
El Castillo, the great stepped pyramid dedicated to the feathered serpent Kukulcán, stands at the heart of the site. The huge ball court, the Temple of the Warriors and the round observatory of El Caracol show the range of Maya building. The sacred cenote, into which offerings were cast, lies a short walk away, and nearby cenotes offer a cool swim after the ruins.