Chichen

Chichén Itzá, commonly referred to as Chichén or Chichen, is a Maya archaeological site in the Yucatán Peninsula of Mexico. It is located near the town of Pisté, in Yucatán, roughly 120 kilometers east of Mérida.

The site flourished as a major political and economic center from the late Classic to the early Postclassic period, roughly 600–1200 CE, and remained influential into the 13th century. It attracted traders and pilgrims from across the Maya world.

Chichén Itzá features diverse architectural styles rooted in Maya tradition, with notable monuments such as El Castillo (Temple of Kukulcán), the Great Ball Court (the largest in Mesoamerica), the Temple of the Warriors and its adjacent platforms, the Caracol (Observatory), and the Sacred Cenote.

Chichén Itzá was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988 and was named one of the New Seven Wonders of the World in 2007. After the Spanish conquest, it was gradually abandoned; the reasons for decline are debated but include drought, resource constraints, and shifting trade routes. Today it is a major archaeological site and tourist destination, illustrating the engineering and cosmology of the Maya civilization.