Chichen Itza, Mayan Ruins

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Chichen Itza is a pre-Columbian city built by the Mayas. Its name means "at the mouth of the well of the itza". The earliest artifacts date from 1-250 AD. It's not known why it was abandoned around 1300 AD, left silent in the Yucatan Jungle.

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Photos

The Nunnary
Spanish invaders erronesouly assumed this building was for nuns, however archeological evidence indicates it was used for ceremonies.

The Ball Court
viewed from atop the pyramid

Temple of the Bearded Man
the northern temple inside of the ball court

The Church
as named by the early Spanish visitors. Its surface contains many elaborate carvings of Chaac- the Mayan rain god, as well as turtles, snails, armadillos, and crabs.

Pyramid to Kukulcan
The Mayas had their own gods, and when the Itzae invaded they introduced a god the Toltecs called Quetzalcoatl ("the plumed serpent") and who the Mayas later referred to as Kukulcan in their sacred texts.

The Observatory
used for studying the stars and the planets (Maya calendar system is more accurage than our current Gregorian one)

Temple Of The Warriors
built over an earlier temple, completely covered with motifs of eagles & jaguars

Chaac Mool
the carved out human hearts went into the bowl

Sacrificial Slab
atop the temple of the warriors