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Chichen Itza

Short answer: Chichen Itza is a large pre-Columbian Maya city on Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula and a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1988. Its central pyramid, the Temple of Kukulcán, also called El Castillo, has a stairway on each side.

Around the spring and autumn equinoxes, the late-afternoon sun casts triangles of light and shadow from the pyramid's stepped corner onto the northern stairway's balustrade, which ends in carved serpent heads; the effect looks like a serpent descending. Chichen Itza was among the New 7 Wonders of the World announced on July 7, 2007, in a popular vote run by the New7Wonders Foundation. The footage shows the pyramid, the serpent heads and the presenter.

VideoWrite-up3 sources

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What should you know about Chichen Itza?

Quick facts. Each one stands alone and has a stable ID you can cite.

  1. Chichen Itza became a World Heritage Site in 1988.

    DD-120-F01 · Write-up · Exhibit B (World Heritage)

  2. The equinox shadow looks like a serpent descending.

    DD-120-F02 · Write-up · Exhibit D (Equinox shadow)

Video transcript: Chichen Itza: At the Equinoxes, a Shadow Serpent Slides Down a Pyramid

The Seven Wonders of the New World No. 5 Chichen Itza DID YOU KNOW? Chichen Itza, a large pre-Columbian archaeological site in Mexico, has remarkable astronomical and architectural features. The design of the Kukulkan pyramid, also known as El Castillo, is aligned with such precision that during the spring and autumn equinoxes, a shadow on the pyramid creates an illusion of a serpent slithering down the staircase. This phenomenon is popularly known as the descent of Kukulkan or the Dance of the Serpent. The sunlight and shadow play aligns perfectly with the carved serpent head at the base of the staircase. This intricate astronomical knowledge and architectural precision demonstrate the advanced understanding of the cosmos by the ancient Mayan civilization that constructed Chichen Itza. NOW YOU KNOW!

Burned-in captions, read frame by frame (see transcript.md) · 40.8s Reel ·

Video coming soonChichen Itza · Instagram Reel
Chichen Itza: At the Equinoxes, a Shadow Serpent Slides Down a Pyramid Instagram Reel · · 40.8s

The write-up

At the equinoxes, a shadow serpent slides down a pyramid. Chichen Itza was named one of the New 7 Wonders on July 7, 2007.

  1. Exhibit A

    Maya city

    Chichen Itza is a pre-Columbian Maya city on the Yucatán Peninsula.

  2. Exhibit B

    World Heritage

    UNESCO listed it as a World Heritage Site in 1988.

  3. Exhibit C

    El Castillo

    Its central pyramid, the Temple of Kukulcán, is also called El Castillo.

  4. Exhibit D

    Equinox shadow

    Around the equinoxes, light and shadow on the northern stairway look like a descending serpent.

  5. Exhibit E

    New 7 Wonders

    It was named one of the New 7 Wonders on July 7, 2007.

Questions people ask about Chichen Itza

Where is Chichen Itza?

It was a major Maya city.

Source: Write-up · Exhibit A (Maya city) · UNESCO World Heritage Centre: Pre-Hispanic City of Chichen-Itza

When did it become a World Heritage Site?

UNESCO listed it in 1988.

Source: Write-up · Exhibit B (World Heritage) · UNESCO World Heritage Centre: Pre-Hispanic City of Chichen-Itza

What's El Castillo's other name?

Kukulcán is a feathered serpent deity.

Source: Write-up · Exhibit C (El Castillo) · Wikipedia: El Castillo, Chichen Itza

What appears at the equinoxes?

It runs down the northern stairway.

Source: Write-up · Exhibit D (Equinox shadow) · Wikipedia: El Castillo, Chichen Itza

When was it named a New 7 Wonder?

Winners were announced in Lisbon.

Source: Write-up · Exhibit E (New 7 Wonders) · Wikipedia: New 7 Wonders of the World

Test Your Knowledge

All quizzes →

5 questions, all from this case file. Answers are revealed instantly.

  1. Where is Chichen Itza?

    1. Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula
    2. Peru
    3. Guatemala's highlands
    4. Egypt
    Show the answer

    Answer: A. Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula It was a major Maya city. Source: Write-up · Exhibit A (Maya city) · UNESCO World Heritage Centre: Pre-Hispanic City of Chichen-Itza

  2. When did it become a World Heritage Site?

    1. 1988
    2. 2007
    3. 1950
    4. 2015
    Show the answer

    Answer: A. 1988 UNESCO listed it in 1988. Source: Write-up · Exhibit B (World Heritage) · UNESCO World Heritage Centre: Pre-Hispanic City of Chichen-Itza

  3. What's El Castillo's other name?

    1. Temple of Kukulcán
    2. Temple of the Sun
    3. Great Pyramid
    4. Pyramid of the Moon
    Show the answer

    Answer: A. Temple of Kukulcán Kukulcán is a feathered serpent deity. Source: Write-up · Exhibit C (El Castillo) · Wikipedia: El Castillo, Chichen Itza

  4. What appears at the equinoxes?

    1. A shadow serpent
    2. A solar eclipse
    3. A rainbow
    4. Snow
    Show the answer

    Answer: A. A shadow serpent It runs down the northern stairway. Source: Write-up · Exhibit D (Equinox shadow) · Wikipedia: El Castillo, Chichen Itza

  5. When was it named a New 7 Wonder?

    1. July 7, 2007
    2. January 1, 2000
    3. 1988
    4. 2017
    Show the answer

    Answer: A. July 7, 2007 Winners were announced in Lisbon. Source: Write-up · Exhibit E (New 7 Wonders) · Wikipedia: New 7 Wonders of the World

Cite this case file

Easterling, Marcus. "Chichen Itza." The Detail Department (DetailEnjoyer), case file DD-120, last updated Dec 14, 2023. https://detailenjoyer.com/case/chichen-itza/

Permalink: https://detailenjoyer.com/case/chichen-itza/ · Last updated

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Cite a single fact by its ID, for example DD-120-F01 → https://detailenjoyer.com/case/chichen-itza/#DD-120-F01

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