# Chichen Itza (DD-120)

> 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.

- Department: Locations (also History)
- First published: 2023-12-14
- Last updated: 2023-12-14
- Permalink: https://detailenjoyer.com/case/chichen-itza/
- Author: Marcus Easterling (DetailEnjoyer), The Detail Department

## On the timeline

- **1988**: UNESCO lists Chichen Itza as a World Heritage Site
- **July 7, 2007**: Chichen Itza is named one of the New 7 Wonders

Full timeline: https://detailenjoyer.com/timeline/?case=chichen-itza

## Quick facts

- **DD-120-F01**: Chichen Itza became a World Heritage Site in 1988. _(Write-up · Exhibit B (World Heritage))_
- **DD-120-F02**: The equinox shadow looks like a serpent descending. _(Write-up · Exhibit D (Equinox shadow))_

## 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. **Maya city**: Chichen Itza is a pre-Columbian Maya city on the Yucatán Peninsula.
2. **World Heritage**: UNESCO listed it as a World Heritage Site in 1988.
3. **El Castillo**: Its central pyramid, the Temple of Kukulcán, is also called El Castillo.
4. **Equinox shadow**: Around the equinoxes, light and shadow on the northern stairway look like a descending serpent.
5. **New 7 Wonders**: It was named one of the New 7 Wonders on July 7, 2007.

## Related case files

- [Kailasa Temple (DD-605)](https://detailenjoyer.com/case/kailasa-temple/): I paired it with another ancient monument built with precision
- [The Great Pyramid (DD-092)](https://detailenjoyer.com/case/the-great-pyramid/): I paired it with another pyramid from the wonders series
- [Machu Picchu (DD-118)](https://detailenjoyer.com/case/machu-picchu/): I paired it with another of the New 7 Wonders

## Reel vs. record

- **Note**: 'No. 5': the New 7 Wonders aren't ranked; I read the number as his own series order.

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

- Duration: 40.8 s · Published: 2023-12-14
- File: https://detailenjoyer.com/assets/videos/C00jBOwO9y3.mp4

### Transcript

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!

## Questions & answers

**Q: Where is Chichen Itza?**  
A: It was a major Maya city. _(Source: Write-up · Exhibit A (Maya city) · UNESCO World Heritage Centre: Pre-Hispanic City of Chichen-Itza)_

**Q: When did it become a World Heritage Site?**  
A: UNESCO listed it in 1988. _(Source: Write-up · Exhibit B (World Heritage) · UNESCO World Heritage Centre: Pre-Hispanic City of Chichen-Itza)_

**Q: What's El Castillo's other name?**  
A: Kukulcán is a feathered serpent deity. _(Source: Write-up · Exhibit C (El Castillo) · Wikipedia: El Castillo, Chichen Itza)_

**Q: What appears at the equinoxes?**  
A: It runs down the northern stairway. _(Source: Write-up · Exhibit D (Equinox shadow) · Wikipedia: El Castillo, Chichen Itza)_

**Q: When was it named a New 7 Wonder?**  
A: Winners were announced in Lisbon. _(Source: Write-up · Exhibit E (New 7 Wonders) · Wikipedia: New 7 Wonders of the World)_

## Sources

- [UNESCO World Heritage Centre: Pre-Hispanic City of Chichen-Itza](https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/483/)
- [Wikipedia: El Castillo, Chichen Itza](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Castillo,_Chichen_Itza)
- [Wikipedia: New 7 Wonders of the World](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/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/