Description

El Castillo dominates the northern part of Chichen Itza. It is a large step pyramid that towers 30 meters above the plaza, made of cut limestone blocks atop a rubble-fill core. El Castillo has nine terraces and four staircases, terminating in a base that is 55 meters in length on each of its four sides. A large square temple with four doorways sits atop the highest platform. Deep within this pyramid lies the Jaguar Throne room. It was dedicated to the deity Kukulkan, the feathered serpent. El Castillo has 91 steps on each side for a total of 365 steps, equal to the number of days in the year under the solar Haab calendar - one of two the Maya used. Additionally, the 2 equinoxes and 2 solstices each year occur at 91-day intervals. At sunset on the equinoxes (spring and fall), a special phenomenon can be observed at El Caracol - the interplay of light from the sun's position in the sky and shadows from the building itself make it appear that a diamond-backed serpent is slowly snaking down the balustrades of the staircase. Considering the building's careful positioning along a western axis, and the astronomically-charged nature of its details, it is quite likely the builders planned it this way in order to broadcast a visual cue for the proper time to do agricultural ceremonies, harvest, and plant new crops.

Media Id: media_CHI_20080609_165706 Date Uploaded: 2008-06-09 16:57:07