El Castillo (The Pyramid of Kukulkan) is a massive Mayan masterpiece that rises above the grounds of Chichén Itzá in the Yucatan jungle. by Dorothy and Bill Bell. On the spring equinox, when day and night are of equal length, the Sun is in just the right spot to cast a shadow of the nine bodies of the pyramid onto the side of the staircase, or the outside of the ballustrade, shown here in profile. It looks like a 120 ft length snake is creeping downstairs till it joins a huge serpent’s head at the bottom of the stairway. As the sun sets, the north western corner of the terraces cast a shadow on the northern stairway, creating a diamond pattern representing a snake’s body. The celestial event that marks this transition is called an "equinox," and it happens twice every year around March 21 and Sept. 21 You can attend this extraordinary phenomenon in one of the most famous Mayan Ruins named by UNESCO a World Heritage Site and a Wonder of the World, “Chichen Itza”. Autumnal Equinox 2018. Or, head southeast to the jungle-covered city of Coba and scale the 42-metre high Nohoch Muul. This complex which has the UNESCO recognition as a World Heritage Site and is one of the “New Seven Wonders of the World” allows from the entrance of Chichén Itzá a majestic view of the Templo de Kukulkan. Additionally, the Mayan temple at Chichén Itzá in Mexico, known as the Temple of Kukulcan (or El Castillo), is dedicated to a serpent god. The 45-degree stairs at El Castillo have been closed to visitors since 2006, but you can climb the two pyramids close by. Dominating the center of Chichén is the Temple of Kukulkan (the Maya name for Quetzalcoatl), often referred to as “El Castillo” (the castle).This step pyramid has a ground plan of square terraces with stairways up each of the four sides to the temple on top. Posts about el castillo written by The Hinoeuma. "At the ruins of Chichen Itza, the ancient Maya city in Mexico, crowds now gather on the spring (and fall) equinox to watch as the afternoon sun creates shadows that resemble a snake moving along the stairs of the 79-foot-tall Pyramid of Kukulkan, also called El Castillo. See Who's Going to Equinox at the Temple of Kukulkán 2021 in Chichén Itzá, Mexico! This structure, known also as the Temple of Kukulcan, is situated at the center of the city. The only thing that compares with the majesty, beauty and scientific genius of the El Castillo pyramid at Chichen Itza is the fleeting wonder of the equinox spectacle. El Castillo is a pyramid in Chichen Itza, Mexico, the four staircases at the four sides of the pyramid is built with such precision that a "snake of sunlight" would slither down the staircases at sunrise on the day of the equinox. El Castillo - The Pyramid of Kulkulkan The beautiful pyramid known as El Castillo or The Pyramid of Kulkulkán has been very well restored. A beautiful moth in the butterfly garden of Gold Park. During the spring equinox, thousands of visitors gather to witness the phenomena of the light and shadow movements, like serpent, that descent the steps of the Castillo Pyramid. The Mayans built the pyramid with a head of a serpent at the bottom of its main stairway. Find out the science behind the autumnal equinox and how it has been celebrated through the ages. The construction of the Kukulcán Pyramid at Chichén Itzá was planned so that each Vernal Equinox the dying sun would cast a shadow … Image 27246337. El Castillo (otherwise known as the Pyramid or Temple of Kukulkán, the Mayan word for the Aztec god Quetzlcoatl), built around 1000 AD, is most famous for a phenomenon that takes place around the time of the spring and fall equinoxes. The pyramid, also known as El Castillo , has four staircases running from the top to the bottom of the pyramid's faces. Other articles where El Castillo is discussed: Chichén Itzá: …of such major buildings as El Castillo (“The Castle”), a pyramid that rises 79 feet (24 metres) above the Main Plaza. (Richard A. Cooke/Corbis) the pyramid does overlay an earlier version, and this one only had a single stairway which was on the northern (actually NNE) side. Chichen Itza, El Castillo (Kukulcan), Maya historical site, Yucatan state, Mexico, The Pyramid was built for astronomical purposes. Olmec A culture from the Mexican Gulf Coast. The prominence of the temple is enhanced by the fact that it is the tallest structure at the site. El Castillo is a step pyramid, over 29 meters in height and 55 meters wide at the base. Contrary to popular belief, the Spring Equinox’s date changes every year. It is a square based structure over 25m (80 feet) high, having nine terraces and four staircases., supposed to represent the nine heavens and the four cardinal points. El Castillo at Spring Equinox. The reason why most countries celebrate it on the 21st of March is because of practical reasons. Hours and times of the Spring Equinox at Chichen Itza. Resource Library | Photograph Resource Library Photograph El Castillo, Chichen Itza El Castillo, Chichen Itza Photo: Chichen Itza Pyramid during Autum Equinox in Mexico. During the spring and fall equinoxes, a shadow slithers along an edge of the 79-foot-tall structure and creates the 120-foot-long body of a … Dedicated to the serpent God Kukulcán it is also known by it’s Toltec name the "Pyramid of Quetzalcoatl".. Kukulcán is a feathered serpent deity closely related to the Aztec God Quetzalcoatl. Chich én Itzá - El Castillo. Try the 30-metre tall El Torre pyramid at Ek Balam, just north of Chichen Itza. The Pyramid of Kukulcan, El Castillo. The wisdom and technology of the Mayan culture unveil with splendor the change of season, twice every year the sun delineates a snake out of light over “El Castillo” of Chichen Itza. El Castillo during Equinox week - stock photo. El Castillo, also known as the Pyramid of Kukulkán, is the 79-foot pyramid at the center of the ancient Mayan site of Chichen Itza. Crowds of people assemble at Kukulcan (El Castillo) to view the equinox hierophany in 1988. El Castillo (otherwise known as the Pyramid or Temple of Kukulkán, the Mayan word for the Aztec god Quetzlcoatl), built around 1000 AD, is most famous for a phenomenon that takes place around the time of the spring and fall equinoxes. About 40,000 people there to see the magic snake which appears only twice a year. Chichen Itza for the Spring equinox on Wednesday March 21st 2007. Maya Native people of southern Mexico and Central America. There isn’t a more astonishing spectacle in Peninsula de Yucatan that the equinox in Chichen Itza. ... who constructed the El Castillo step pyramid at Chichen Itza in Mexico so that a … Posted on September 22, 2018 Updated on June 28, 2019. "El Castillo", Chichen Itza served as a Temple to Kukulkan During the spring and fall equinoxes the shadow cast by the angle of the sun and edges of the nine steps of the pyramid combined with the northern stairway and the stone serpent head carvings create the illusion of a massive serpent descending the pyramid . El Castillo, also called the Temple of Kukulkan, is the most popular attraction in the ancient Maya city of Chichen Itza in Mexico.This is one of the most fantastic examples of Maya architecture. El Castillo has four sides, each with 91 stairs and facing a cardinal direction; including the step on the top platform, these combine for a total of 365 steps—the… Picture of The feathered serpent god of the Mayans, crawls down the pyramid El Castillo during spring equinox stock photo, images and stock photography. Known as "The Castle" or "The Pyramid of Kukulcán" the monumental structure dominates the Northern Platform. El Castillo. On September 23, the day of the fall Equinox, the Pyramid of Kukulcan or El Castillo that dominates the Great Plaza at Chichen Itza, reveals its secret. In ancient times, it was a solar clock and calendar marking the passage of the seasons. During the spring/autumn equinox, and 1 week before and after, a phenomenon will occur in the late afternoon when the setting sun casts its shadow on El Castillo pyramid. The Archaeological Site of Chichén Itzá is located 90 minutes far from Merida Yucatán, this is the city which name means “On the Edge of the Well of the Itzaes”. El Castillo, meaning “the castle,” is arguably the most recognizable monument of Chichen Itza. El Castillo (Spanish pronunciation: [el kas'tiʎo], Spanish for "the castle"), also known as the Temple of Kukulcan (or sometimes Kukulkan), is a Mesoamerican step-pyramid that dominates the center of the Chichen Itza archaeological site in the Mexican state of Yucatán.The building is more formally designated by archaeologists as Chichen Itza Structure 5B18. The whole thing lasts no more than four minutes, as you will see the shadow of the serpent appear, … The main pyramid, El Castillo, is the primary location for equinox gatherings: at the precise moment of the equinox, a shadow forms on the main stairs that … During each spring and fall equinox in Chichén Itzá, the great pyramid of Kukulcán visually represents day and night as the sun, serpent-like, slithers down its staircase and reveals the pattern play of time upon its ancient ruins. 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