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Fascinating
Mayan city whose name means "the city of the water wizards".
Located in the south of Mérida in the state of Yucatán
in the midst of fabulous natural surroundings where the deep blue
skies contrast with the lush green vegetation. It is surrounded
by underground rivers, natural wells and limestone that the Mayans
used to construct their magnificent buildings and entire cities
that are only just beginning to reveal the secrets of their founders
glorious past.
Chichén
Itzá reached its peak between 700 and 1200 AD, although it
was inhabited for over 2000 years. It controlled trade and unified
the region as well as being the center of political, economic and
military power in the area.
Its
main attractions include El Castillo or the Pyramid of Kukulkán,
a magnificent pyramid topped by a temple, while in the north of
the archaeological zone stands the sacred Cenote, a silent witness
to the numerous ceremonies performed by the Mayans. The Observatory
or Giant Conch Snail is another of the buildings that is internationally
renowned, since it was built to observe Venus, a planet that the
Mayans identified with the God Kukulkán, the plumed serpent.
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