For A Look Into Mayan History Visit The Chichen Itza Mayan Ruins
The Chichen Itza Mayan ruins are an important tourist attraction. Chichen Itza is usually a big archaeological site. The place was originally created by the Mayans, and it is found just about 70 miles away from the capital of Yucatan, Mexico. The Chichen Itza Mayan ruins are an interesting site, which draws in many travelers yearly but there's quite a lot that people tend not to know about this site.
Etymology
The name "Chichen Itza" is actually a Mayan name that means, "on the mouth of the well of Itza." The word Chichen comes from the words "Chi" which directly translates as mouth or edge and "ch'e'en" which signifies "well." Itza quite possibly loosely translates as wizards or enchantment or magician from the water.
Origins of this Site
The archaelogical site is split into two key parts. One area comes from the older classic Mayan period and it was created in the 7th to 10th centuries. The other area incorporates characteristics from the Mayan-Toltec period, created around the 11-13th centuries. This site is currently the largest of all the Mayan ruins in Yucatan.
What You can See
This site was recently named one of the Seven Wonders of the World which means that there's lots to discover there. El Castillo or the Temple of Kukulkan is among the primary sights of Chichen Itza. Situated on the primary platform, the El Castillo is a breathtaking step pyramid which is nearly 30 meters tall! In the afternoon during the spring and autumn equinox, the sunlight cast on the corner of this pyramid creates a number of triangle-shaped shadows, which all combine to produce the shape of a serpent moving down the pyramid. That was a deliberate design made by the Mayans to signify the serpent god Kukulkan.
Yet another well-known point of interest is the Great Ball Court. Measuring in at 545 feet by 223 feet, the Great Ball Court at Chichen Itza is actually the largest sized ball court from the Mesoamerica era. This court was used in its time to play Mesoamerican games. There's a temple area positioned at either end of the ball court. One of these temples is called the Temple of the Bearded Man and one is called the Temple of the Jaguar.
The cenote sagrado or "sacred well" is definitely an intriguing characteristic of Chichen Itza. The Mayans utilized the cenote to make both human and object sacrifices for the Mayan rain god Chaac.
Some other must see elements are the El Mercado, or the market place, Temple of the Warriors, El Caracol, or the observatory, Tzompantli or Wall of Skulls and the La Iglesia or The Church.
There's so much to see and do in the Chichen Itza Mayan ruins you must make certain you already know what you want to see just before you go so that you are able to make the most of your day.
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