Chichen Itza is an ancient Mayan city of the 6th century on the Yucatan Peninsula, one of the most visited places in Mexico. The name of the city, which for some time was the capital of the Maya, means “The mouth of the well of the Itza tribe” - there are 13 wells on the territory of the city. One of them, 50 meters deep, served as a sacrifice to the rain god Chaak. As a result of excavations on the territory of 83 hectares, pyramids, statues of deities, the remains of colonnades, playing fields, and various utensils were discovered. The most famous building of the city is the Temple of Kukulkan, a pyramid 24 meters high. On the days of the autumn and spring equinoxes, the shadow from the pyramid forms the contour of a 37-meter snake crawling along the main staircase in the direction of the sun to its head, carved in stone at the base of the pyramid. In the evening, there is a sound and light show for tourists, during which Mayan legends are told. Chichen Itza is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the Pyramid of Kukulkan was declared one of the New 7 Wonders of the World in 2007.
Chichen Itza can be reached by bus or car from Merida (120 km) or Cancun (200 km).