Chichen Itza is considered to be one of the most famous attraction visited by tourists in Mexico Yucatan Peninsula. It is a huge pyramid with steps and is originally known as El Castillo or Temple of Kukulcan that existed as early as 600AD to the 1200's.
It is considered as an ancient Mayan ruin that reflects soaring, rugged pyramids and carved columns which was dedicated to Kukulcan, - the feathered serpent.
The Mayans were considered to have a great level of architectural and astronomical knowledge due to the ruins' play of light and shadow during certain equinox. At each equinox, as the sun rises over the horizon, it illuminates the west balcony of the base, which creates triangles of light and shadow that looked like a serpent in the ruffle of the arch on the stairway of the pyramidal basement known as El Castillo.
Chichen Itza today is now considered a major national park in Mexico due to its proximity and easy accessibility to Cancun.
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| Me and Chichen Itza at the background! ;) |
The ruins were used to be opened for tourists to climb all the way high up the steps going down inside to see some rooms for religious sites, but unfortunately closed its doors due to concerns for safety due to a tourist's accidental death in 2006. It was also further decided by Mexico's management that in order to prolong the life span of the ruins, they have to control heavy foot traffic getting in and out of the ruins, thus the closure!
