Chichen Itza

The Yucatan Peninsula’s great archaeological wonder and UNESCO World Heritage Site, Chichen Itza is the region’s best restored and most visited Pre-Hispanic site and even Mexico’s most famous historic site. Covering about 10 square kilometres, this was a great city, home to 50,000 people at its peak, between 800 and 925 AD. There are a lot of things to see here and lots of different ruins, including temples, a ball court, columned arcades and pyramids. It is particularly intriguing to historians because of its departure from the traditional Mayan style – its blending of different cultural elements makes it wonderfully unique to explore.

Laid out in a way that gives clues to the Mayan vision of the universe, Chichen Itza’s most recognisable landmark is El Castillo, or the Temple of Kukulkan, which stands at the centre of a great grass plaza. This temple is the Mayan calendar in stone, with 365 steps (91 on each of four sides and one at the top) and 52 decorative panels representing the Maya’s 52-year cycle. Incredibly, the temple also marks the equinox through a shadow effect of a serpent slithering down the pyramid’s steps, a popular event for locals and visitors alike.