Mayan Ruins of the Yucatan Peninsula, Part 1

admin — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 16:03:01 +0000

The Yucatan Peninsula is on of the worlds most famous archaeological sites. It is filled with the enchanting colonial cities, romantic haciendas and resorts. This area is a real cultural heritage, however, most of the visitors are attracted by the beautiful beaches, distinct cuisine and amazing Mayan ruins. These ruins can be found throughput the whole area and most visitors come to the Yucatan Peninsula in order to admire and explore these remainings of one of the greatest civilization in the world.
I will do my best to present you some of the most popular architectural sites I have had the opportunity to see during my stay in the Yucatan Peninsula. To begin with Chichen Itza. The name of this site actually means “the edge of the well of the Itzaes”. For ages this was the political, religious and military center of the North of the Yucatan Peninsula. It is divided into “old” and “new” Chichen due to the fact that it has been abandoned in the history, so two different cultures has been building it. Some of the most visited buildings are the Castillo, or “Castle,”which is dedicated to Kukulkan. It is especially interesting on the fall and spring equinox the sun strikes the side of the building making a play of light and shadow which appears as a snake along the steps of the building. Another interesting site is Temple of the Warriors, where hundreds of columns surround a massive temple structure carved with reliefs. And another thing I would like to point out is the Great Ballcourt which is the largest in Mesoamerica. The acoustics of the ballcourt are remarkable: a whisper from one end can be clearly heard at the other.
Another famous Mayan ruin is Mayapan, or in translation Mayan flag. In the history, this was the most important place after the fall of Chichen Itza. It is considered the last great Mayan stronghold. On the zone that covers 4 square km there are nearly 4000 structures, mostly residential buildings. Some of the constructions there contain mural paintings from the Mayan time. Here, in Mayapan there is also Castillo, but this one is actually replica of the one in Chichen Itza.

Uxmal - Mexico

The most important site of the Puuc region is Uxmal. There are two interpretations of the name of this place and they are “Three harvests” or “Three times built”. According to the legend, dwarf outwitted the king, became the new ruler and magically constructed the buildings of Uxmal and that is how the city was founded. On the site dominates the Pyramid of the Dwarf, this pyramid is also known as the Pyramid of the Magician.
Furthermore, we come to the site which original name is unknown, so it was called El Rey, meaning the king, due to the stone sculpture that was found on-site. This stone can be seen on exhibit in the Cancun Archaeology Museum. This site has 47 ancient structures that formed center of the small trade and fishing village.

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Chichén Itzá Visitor’s Guide

admin — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 03:39:38 +0000

Chitzen Itza is one of many fascinating Mayan archaeological sites in the Yucatan Peninsula. The name of this site actually means “the edge of the well of the Itzaes”. Between 750 and 1200 A.D. it served as the political and economic center of the Mayan civilization. The amazing buildings in Chichen Itza are still standing and they demonstrate the Mayas’ extraordinary commitment to architectural space and composition, as well as their vast astronomical knowledge. As reword for being so unique and able to survive through tough times, it was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1988. What is more, it has been selected as one of the New 7 World Wonders. This all tells you that you really have to see this magnificent archeological site. It is located 125 miles from Cancun and 75 miles from Merida. It is good to know that there are several hotels there in case you want to come in Chichen Itza the day before and early start visiting the ruins, which is excellent idea since it can get hot and very crowded, latter during the day.

If I knew that you would not definitely go from Cancun the day I want to visit the site and come here in the hottest part of the day. According to average, one can spend from 3 hours to a full day here, depending how much you are interested in the ancient ruins and how much you were amazed when you saw them. Some will be disappointed when they here that you have to pay the admission fee and what is more there is an extra charge for use of video camera on the site. Another useful advice is to dress in natural fiber clothing that will protect you from sun and of course do not forget to wear comfortable shoes; there is a lot of walking to be done.
If you ever get the chance to go and visit Chichen Itza you should not miss the following features of Chichen Itza.
El Castillo – is known as the most striking building here. It is dedicated to Kukulkan, the Plumed Serpent. I have been lucky, and visited El Castillo on the spring equinox when the side of the building making a play of light and shadow which appears as a snake along the steps of the building. This also happens on the fall equinox.
Temple of the Warriors – here, the hundreds of columns surround a massive temple structure carved with reliefs. These columns are carved on all four sides with figures of feather-bedecked warriors.
Great Ballcourt – this ballcourt at 545 feet in length and 225 feet in width and as such it is the largest known ballcourt in Mesoamerica. What also makes this ballcourt fascinating is the the acoustics of the ballcourt, that are remarkable: a whisper from one end can be clearly heard at the other.
Most tourists visit the Chichen Itza as a day trip from Cancun or Merida, so take this into consideration when planning your time if you’re staying in one of those two places..

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City In Mexico » Chichén Itzá

Mayan Ruins of the Yucatan Peninsula, Part 1

Chichén Itzá Visitor’s Guide