03Cities and regions
Yucatán Peninsula
Chichén Itzá and Yucatán
Inland, between Mérida and Valladolid, lies Chichén Itzá, one of the largest Maya cities and the focal point of northern Yucatán from about 600 to 1200. Its buildings mix styles from central Mexico with the Puuc and Chenes traditions of the peninsula. The star is the stepped Pyramid of Kukulcán, known as El Castillo: about 30 metres high on nine terraces, and voted one of the New Seven Wonders of the World in 2007. The city became a World Heritage Site in 1988 and is among the most visited ruins in the country, so arriving at opening time buys you quieter hours. To the west is Mérida, the state capital, founded in 1542 and nicknamed the White City, and from there the road leads to Uxmal, another Maya city in the Puuc style. About a third of the state's people speak Yucatec Maya. Across the region, cenotes offer a cool swim after a morning in the sun.
- about 30 m
- Height of El Castillo
- 1988
- World Heritage
- 1542
- Mérida founded
- 0
- Mérida population
Highlights
- Great Ball CourtA long stone court between high walls, with a small temple decorated in relief at one end.
- MéridaA city about 35 kilometres from the coast, with pale colonial facades and the sculpture-lined Paseo de Montejo.