In its beginnings the city of Chichen Itza, was no more than a small town formed by small huts of wood and straw built around the Xtoloc cenote, and it was not until around 325 A.D. that Chichen Itza started acquiring the city-like shape, it still keeps, with the construction of the now world-famous huge stone temples started.

Urban planning was a little bit messy and erratic at first, although later great care was taken to plan the city and leave more space among the buildings and temples by making causeways called sacbe or sacbeob in plural, meaning 'white ways', which also joined the city with other towns. The causeways were paved with quicklime and they were slightly elevated above ground. All of the causeways still exist today and some have even been turned into modern day highways.

It is believed that by 1000 A.D. war broke out in the Mayan kingdoms causing the fall of Chichen Itza. Evidence gathered on site shows that the thatched and wooden roofs on top of some of the temples such as the Temple of the Warriors and the Market were burned down. Chichen Itza's fall is also directly related to the rise of Mayapan in Southern Yucatan, as the new political and economic center of the Mayan World. Nevertheless, there is evidence that up to the 16th century, Chichen Itza remained a sacred center, where Mayans carried out pilgrimages and ceremonies to the temple of Kukulcan. .

You can also visit the spectacular Cenote Sagrado, a large sinkhole that measures 60 meters (198 feet) in diameter. Many fantastic treasures have been found at the sinkhole: rings, necklaces, gold and jade objects, as well as the bones of young women that were thrown into the water as an offering to Chaac, the Mayan rain god.

The Chichen Itza zona is an enigmatic place that holds invaluable mysteries and secrets yet to be uncovered of the many achievements reached by the Mayans. It has been proven that each and every temple in the city was built in accordance with the position of the stars and planets. The Castle, for instance, registers the equinoxes (when day and night last the same length) and the summer solstice (when the sun reaches its peak over the Tropic of Cancer). Another similar case is the Snail or Observatory that registers the cycles of the moon, which together with the sun's positioning are important indicators of the planting and harvest seasons.

Equinox--The Mayan Astronomers"

Ancient stone masons built and aligned this stone pyramid centuries ago to project the sun's rays into a diamond-back rattlesnake of light and shadow.

On the morning and evenings of Equinox March 20, 21 and September 21, 22 thousands flock to Chichen Itza to view the same dramatic display.

In the spring, the sight is clearly visible in the early evening from mid to late February, and through mid-April. In the fall the appearence is visible from mid August through mid October.

For optimum viewing of the serpent of light, be near the great courtyard which faces the western facet of the Kukulkan Pyramid beginning at about four in the afternoon. The best viewing of the sight is from five days before until five days after Equinox. Needless to say, accomodations fill up fast! On the actual day of Equinox, people stake out their vantage point early in the day, as a great sea of humanity begins to deluge one of the great wonders of the world!