Built on top of an older structure, the 24m- (79ft-) high pyramid was dedicated to Kukulcan, a Mayan snake god. Moreover, it is dedicated to Kukulkan, the Plumed Serpent. Why does this old building continue to fascinate visitors over a thousand years after it was built? The most well-known structure at Chichén Itzá is the pyramid called El Castillo, built around 800 CE. Join Curiosmos on Telegram Today. The clusters which are most popular are, the Ossario Group, the Old Chichen, the Central Group, and the Great North Platform. The great. My passport might claim I’m 32, but my heart says forever 24. These structures in Chichen Itza were not just beautiful buildings but also served as calendars, hence the steps being numbered in terms of a year like El Castillo. An interesting fact about the temple of Kukulcan is that it’s built on top of another, much older temple. This picture is just to demonstrate, the sound can only be heard clapping at the pyramid’s North side, not this side (which is the East side). 11. At 25 metres high, the Pyramid of Kukulkán is by no means the tallest pyramid the ancient Mayans built. All you have to do is clap once while standing at the foot of the stairs on the Northside of the pyramid, and the structure will respond with the sound of a bird’s chirp. The Temple of Kukulkan or El Castillo is a step pyramid that exhibits the precision and importance of Mayan astronomy. 7. Tourists, or visitors, were once able to climb some of the pyramids, but it was quite challenging because the steps are very steep and small. The smallest pyramid was probably built during the original Mayan reign before the Toltec invasion. Scientists have compared El Castillo, Kukulkan’s Pyramid, to the Russian nesting dolls designs. From the outside you’d never know, but underneath the pyramid is actually another pyramid. The temple has 365 steps—one for each day of the year. The Pyramid of Kukulkán was constructed around 700 – 1300 AD. The larger pyramid was constructed on top of an older one. Inside the older pyramid archaeologists have made some significant discoveries. Scientists have compared El Castillo (Kukulkan’s Pyramid) to the Russian nesting dolls. There is also a Chac-Mool; an ancient stone sculpture of a reclining figure used in sacrificial ceremonies. They appear when you call them; none have attacked any tourists as of yet. In the smaller pyramid’s temple there’s a red jaguar throne with inlaid spots and eyes of jade. What makes El Castillo, or the Pyramid of Kukulkán, so special? Hello and thanks for visiting my Travel Empire! For example, the pyramid has four sides, each with its own set of stairways. 5,000-Year-Old Crystal Dagger Discovered In Spain Mystifies Experts, This Pyramid City In Peru Predates Egypt’s Oldest Pyramid And The Incas By 4,000 Years, Newly-Discovered Comet Heading Our Way Could Become Brightest Comet in Decades, 10 Things You Probably Didn’t Know About ‘Khufu’s Ship’, the Ancient Vessel Buried in front of the Pyramids, Have Aliens Built This 3-Sided Pyramid on Mars? Experts are still trying to find more about the ancient site. according to an expert interviewed in this article by The Guardian, Here’s an article published in the Daily Mail, Ngorongoro and the Great Migration – Experiencing Some …. My name is Jael. During the equinoxes, when the late-afternoon sun hits El Castillo's northwest corner, triangular shadows cascade down the balustrade and end at a decorative serpent's head, creating the look of a feathered serpent slithering down the pyramid. Don't worry, we don't send spam. It must have taken them years to build the pyramid as the area surrounding the colossal structure is still quite uneven. The newest parts date back to around 1050 – 1300 AD. The book itself was not deep as it was for 5th graders, but it gave me sufficient information regarding the construction process of the pyramids. El Castillo, is Spanish and means “The Castle”. When the top level of the pyramid is included, the total number of steps at El Castillo adds up to 365, the number of days in a year. It is nicknamed "The Castle". Get our content delivered to your email. The structure itself takes the form of a sacred mountain, believed by the ancient Maya to be a portal to the heavens. As I grew older, I discovered that various other civilizations such as Olmec, Maya, Aztec and Inca built similar structures to house their deities and rulers. Here are ten fascinating facts you need to know about El Castillo, the pyramid of Chichén Itzá: 1) It was constructed on rough terrain: Chichén Itzá was built in an area of rough territory that was balanced by the people of Maya to accommodate larger structures such as El Castillo. A woman tragically fell to her death in 2006. We are committed to reducing the number of ads shown on the site. Photo: The Temple of Kukulkán has become the symbol of Chichen Itzá and is certainly the most photographed of the buildings in this ancient Mayan city. The Pyramid of Kukulkán is not the tallest pyramid the people of Maya built. However, the building was never a castle, nor a fortress. The Pyramid of El Castillo in Chichén Itzá was built to reflect the Mayan astronomical year. Climbing is no longer permitted. The serpents residing in the pyramid are considered guardians of the ancient structure. The historic region of Mesoamerica comprises the modern day countries of northern Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, Belize, and central to southern Mexico. El Castillo, is Spanish and means “The Castle”. 9.-The Ball court located to the north-west of the Pyramid “El Castillo” It is the largest and best-preserved ball court in ancient Mesoamerica. I still remember gravitating towards a small book in my school’s library that explained a bit about the pyramids of Eygpt. Towering over the historical site of Chichen Itzá, El Castillo has quickly become the modern-day symbol of this ancient Mayan metropolis that today is one of the seven modern wonders of the world. El Castillo means the ‘castle’ in the Spanish language. The meaning of Chichen Itza comes from the Maya Yucateco uchi’ch’e’enitza’, the “City of the Itáes”. Here’s an article published in the Daily Mail about this finding. El Castillo is easily identified in pictures and consists of a series of square terraces that feature stairways running up each of the four sides of the pyramid, leading to the top. It’s still pretty impressive, standing in the middle of a grassy plaza. Watch this Youtube video to see what this amazing effect looks like! Join the discussion and participate in awesome giveaways in our mobile Telegram group. Also known as the Pyramid of Kukulkán, the structure embodies Mayan myth along with natural astronomical cycles. The pyramid of El Castillo is unique since it is one of the world pyramids that features a hidden secret; there’s another pyramid (the substructure) inside the pyramid we see today. The city was in full life in the 600 AD, and was economically strong and grew as a capital between 600 and 1050 AD. The most recognizable structure here is the Temple of Kukulkan, also known as El Castillo. Even in the Yucatán peninsula, El Castillo can’t claim to be the highest pyramid (the title goes to the 42-metre high Nohoch Mul in Cobá). I still remember gravitating towards a small book in my school’s library that explained a bit about the pyramids of Eygpt. The Step Pyramid at Chichen Itza Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico, crowned by temple was part of one of the greatest Mayan centers. The early Spaniards called it El Castillo, meaning the Castle. It towers above the other monuments at 24 meters tall with a 6-meter temple on top of the highest platform. Kukulkan Pyramid was built for astronomical purposes and during the vernal equinox (March 20) and the autumnal equinox (September 21) at about 3pm the sunlight bathes the western balustrade of the pyramid's main stairway. Hence, in today’s article, I shall be shedding light on the pyramids built by the Maya and Toltec civilizations. Photo: Even on a rainy day Chichen Itzá is beautiful, with the Pyramid of Kukulkán as the undisputed symbol of this ancient Mayan city. The most well-known structure at Chichén Itzá is the pyramid called El Castillo, built around 800 CE. This Kukulkán Pyramid, also known as El Castillo is one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. 10.-Chichen Itza has a platform dedicated to the planet Venus located north of El Castillo. Join Curiosmos on Telegram Today. Hi, we understand that enjoy and Ad-free experience while surfing the internet, however, many sites, including ours, depend on ads to continue operating and producing the content you are reading now. This pyramid temple is called the Temple of Kukulkan or the El Castillo. Why? . That’s why it’s also known as the Pyramid of Kukulkán or the Temple of Kukulkán. This is why it’s no longer possible to climb up to the top. Interestingly, in the late afternoon sun, during both the autumn and spring equinoxes, the … El Castillo also referred to as the “Temple of Kukulcan,” is about 30 meters high (98 ft) and the 4 sides are about 55.3 meters long (181 ft). About 125 km west of Cancun and Cozumel, it is the Sacred Cenote, a deep sinkhole that the Mayans used for religious ceremonies, sacrifices to the Gods and more. Together with a final step at the top of the pyramid, leading to a small temple, you get a grand total of 365. In the smaller pyramid’s temple, there is a red jaguar divan with checkered spots and eyes of jade. El Castillo—in Spanish, “the castle”—looms at the center of Chichén Itzá, a 79-foot pyramid of stone. This gives the illusion of a serpent crawling down the stairs. t.me/Curiosmos. Moreover, it is dedicated to Kukulkan, the Plumed Serpent. Each staircase is made up of 91 steps. Join the discussion and participate in awesome giveaways in our mobile Telegram group. The oldest parts might even date back as far as 550 AD! The Osario is another Step Pyramid very similar to El Castillo, only smaller in size. In the ancient Mayan ruins of Chichen Itza sits a pyramid called Kukulcan, also known as El Castillo. Chichen Itza is the 2nd most visited Archeological Site in México, just so you know, the #1 is Teotihuacán in the state of México. Each of the four sides of the pyramid has a staircase that leads to a temple at the top. Each side has 91 steps with a final step at the top, so there are 365 steps total. Spanish conquerors gave this name to the pyramid when they initially discovered the ancient Maya civilization. Before access to the throne room of the pyramid was restricted, you could climb to the top and, on a clear day, … This was the name the Spanish conquistadors gave the pyramid when they arrived in the ancient civilisation. Let us find out some interesting facts about Chichen Itza: Here are some facts that will help you understand the true magic of this ancient pyramid. Photo: At 25 metres, El Castillo is high enough to tower over the other buildings at Chichen Itzá. Each of El Castillo’s four sides has 91 steps which, when added together and including the temple platform, equals the 365 days of the solar year. The temple, called Castillo, is about 1 km in diameter. The sides all have a total of 91 steps. El Castillo's Famous Snake May Have Been Unintentional Tourists love to visit Chichén Itzá during the spring and autumn equinoxes to watch for the snake. Today, the pyramid has several names. Archaeologists have discovered thirteen ball courts for playing the Mesoamerican ballgame in Chichen Itza. This was one of the most stunning facts about Chichen Itza that I discovered during my research. The great pyramid of Giza was the first ancient structure I read about. 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This particular complex explains quite a bit about the Maya and Toltec concept of the universe, which was basically linked to the night skies of the Yucatán Peninsula. The structures of the olden days fascinate me for some unfathomable reason. When I’m not travel blogging I work as a journalist and travel writer. Other articles where El Castillo is discussed: Chichén Itzá: …of such major buildings as El Castillo (“The Castle”), a pyramid that rises 79 feet (24 metres) above the Main Plaza. This glorious step pyramid demonstrates the accuracy and importance of Maya astronomy—and the heavy influence of the Toltecs, who invaded around 1000 and precipitated a merger of the two cultural traditions. The oldest parts might even date back as far as 550 AD. Scientists Spot Chimps Doing Mystery Ritual: Have They Entered Their Own Stone Age? Photo: Clapping at the bottom of the pyramid produces a sound that’s surprisingly similar to that of a bird’s chirp. 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