Chichen itza is one of the most popular archaeological sites in Mexico. It was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988. It is believed that Chichen was founded around the 6th century by the Mayans of the Yucatan Peninsula.
In its long history, different peoples have made changes and contributed to the development of this sacred site. The important buildings in the site are made in an architectural style called Puuc. This is a blend of Mayan and central Mexican architectural techniques.
The site had welcomed its first settlers somewhere around 550 AD. They were most likely attracted to this place as it had easy access to water through caves, sinkholes or limestone formations called cenotes. During its heydays, Chichen had been a religious, military, political and commercial centre with 35,000 inhabitants.
One of the popular attractions in Chichen ltza is the pyramid called El Castillo. It is one of the new Seven Wonders of the World chosen in 2007. Several other buildings in this site have also survived such as the Warriors’ Temple and the Circular Observatory named El Caracol.
Picture Credit : Google
