---
node: dest_chichen_itza
type: destination
slug: chichen_itza
title: "Chichen Itza"
lead: "Chichen Itza is the greatest of the Maya archaeological sites, dominated by the stepped pyramid of El Castillo. One of the New Seven Wonders of the World, it draws crowds to the flat plains of central Yucatán."
published: 2026-08-10
updated: 2026-08-10
image_file: chichen_itza.jpg
image_source: "https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Chichen_Itza_3.jpg"
image_author: "Daniel Schwen"
image_license: "CC BY-SA 4.0"
---

## 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.