EAST ROUTE #1
EXPLORE YUCATÁN
Start by taking the highway Mérida- Cancún and go ahead to the neighboring state of Quintana Roo. Near the Yucatan Capital,(72 miles), is the exit to Pisté and the archeological ruins of CHICHÉN ITZÁ ( “mouth of the well of the water chaman) one of the NEW SEVEN WONDERS.
CHAC MOOL AT THE TEMPLE OF THE WARRIORS
Few civilizations where interested on counting time as the Maya, so isn´t strange that the PYRAMID OR KUKULKÁN CASTLE , (feathered serpent), is a magnificence calendar representation, each staircase has 91 stairs on the four sides, 364 in total, plus the top of the pyramid, make 365 stairs which represent the number of days in the ancient Mayan Solar calendar. The main staircase has nine bases on both sides, equivalent to the 18 months of the Mayan year, and the bases has 26 panels on both sides, representing the 52 years of the gran Mayan time cycle. Inside the castle is a smaller pyramid that stands a CHAC MOOL ( human form statue founded in different enclosures as Toltecas, Aztecs and Mayas and could be associated with antique offerings and religious ceremonies) and a RED JAGUAR with jade inlays, simulating the animal print of this huge feline.
KUKULKÁN DESCENDS ACROSS THE PYRAMID
During the spring and fall equinoxes, combination of: astronomy, mathematics, chronology, geometry and religion produces an amazing phenomenon. KUKULCÁN, take position of the light and shadow, and came down on the dusk to get compliance and share his god gifts. One of the kind world phenomenon! THE SACRED CENOTE, was the scene of offerings to the rain god CHAAC, the Mesoamerica ´s LARGEST BALL COURT with a perfect acoustic, allows you to speak from one side of it and the people at the other side can hear your conversation at 150 km 90 miles of distance! THE TEMPLE OF THE WARRIORS with human forms dressed like eagles and tigers eating hearts, THE THOUSAND COLUMNS, the VENUS PLATFORM OR CHAC MOOL ´S TOMB, the dreadful TZOMPANTLI, (a representation of a bloody wall with enemy skulls) and the majestic OBSERVATORY, a chamber with four windows oriented to the cardinal points, in where the ancients made astronomical arithmetic with an extraordinary precision.
THE OBSERVATORY
CHICHÉN ITZÁ
- Monday to Sunday: 8:00 am to 17:00 pm
- General admission : $166 pesos; National Admission :$116 pesos, children under 13 : 5 pesos
- Sundays : national visitors free entrance with official ID.
Back to Mérida you can visit IZAMAL ( City of the hills) the only town in the Yucatan Peninsula denominated by the Secretaria de Turismo as Magic Town. In IZAMAL, you can visit the ITZAMATUL PYRAMIDS with a big platform; KINICH KAK MOO (house of the Sun) with extraordinary dimensions, and PAPHOLCHAC( the king´s castle).
THE STREETS OF IZAMAL
On this town you can walk through the majestic SAN ANTONIO DE PADUA CONVENT AND TEMPLE, with the biggest atrium in Latinamerica. The temple displays a beautiful altarpiece wood carved, and covered with gold sheets in homage to the IZAMAL VIRGIN, the female protector of Yucatán. In 1993, Pope Juan Pablo II, celebrated La Reunión de las Etnias de América inside the convent. The facades, painted in ocher, the calashes and the colorful streets with colonial style, make IZAMAL a long visit stop.
SAN ANTONIO DE PADUA CONVENT
Two kilometers ( 1.2 miles) from Mérida is located the famous HACIENDA SAN ILDEFONSO TEYA, abandoned years ago, but reconstructed by Jorge Carlos Cárdenas Gutiérrez, revived for the past glories, that shows with proud the beautiful PRINCIPAL HOUSE, with Neoclassic style. In this place you can delight yourself with the traditional culinary at the restaurant HACIENDA TEYA, and have a feast fit for the kings.
CHAPEL AT HACIENDA SAN ILDEFONSO TEYA
DON´T MISS
After being in CHICHÉN ITZÁ, go to the CENOTE IK KIL (place of winds) located 3 kilometers (1.8 miles) from the archeological ruins in where you can swim into clear and deep waters, one of the most impressive cenotes in the World. This cenote was the perfect place to homed the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series on 2010 and 2011.
IK KIL CENOTE
IK KIL
Open all year from 8:00 to 17:00 h.
Entrance: 70 pesos.
Restaurant open from 11:00.
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Where to stay :
CHICHEN ITZÁ
Mayaland
Km. 120, Free Highway Mérida - Cancún, Chichén Itzá, Yuc.
Ph. 01800 719 5465
www.mayaland.com
Hacienda Chichen
Km. 120.5, Free Highway Mérida - Cancún, Chichén Itzá, Yuc.
Ph. (01 999) 920 8407
www.haciendachichen.com
IZAMAL
Rinconada del Convento
33 St no. 294, Downtown Izamal, Yuc.
Ph. (01 988) 954 0151
www.hotelizamal.com
Hacienda Sacnicte
Km. 5 Highway Izamal - Tekal de Venegas, Yuc.
Ph. (01 999) 222 6933
www.haciendasacnicte.com
PHOTOS: courtesy of the Secretaría de Fomento Turístico del Gobierno del Estado de Yucatán.
