El Castillo, (the castle) Chichen-Itza, was
the mayan temple of the feathered serpent
"Kukulkan". The pyramid stands 75ft high
and has 4 stairways of 91 steps totalling
364 plus the top platform step equals 365.
Each side contains 52 carved panels, the
number of weeks in a ear, 9 terraces
divided by the stairway, which totals 18,
the number of months in the Mayan year.

Chac-Mool, atop the stairs of the temple
of the warriors, Chichen-Itza. When enemy
warriors were sacraficed on the platform
directly behind Chac-Mool, their hearts
were placed on the center of the statue
as an offering to the gods, & their bodies
were thrown down the stairs to awaiting
warriors who tore the body apart and ate
it thinking they would gain the strength of
their enemy.

The Mayan Caracol or Observatory. There
are holes in the walls of the dome which line
up with certain stars that told the mayan
priests when to plant and when to harvest
their crops, and when to worship certain
Gods.

Qetzacotal, the winged serpent God
adorns the platform of the Tigers and
Eagles, a sacrificial platform for the
Toltec warrior's personal use. The
entire wall is covered with reliefs
depicting jaguars and eagles holding
human hearts in their claws.

Temple of the Warriors. This is a three
tiered pyramid surrounded by many
columns known as the "Group of the
Thousand Columns". Atop the stairs
rests Chac-Mool between two snake
columns, and behind them the
sacraficial alter.

The Church, a name the Spaniards gave
this building for lack of knowing any better.
This simple square building has a greatly
ornamented facade 18 feet high and is
entirely Mayan.

The ball court is a quadrangle, the side
walls have a circular ring high up in the
center on either side of the field. The
players could use any part of their body
except the hands to hit the ball through
the hole which would end the game.
Because of the difficulty of making a
score the games would sometimes last
for days and the victors would win the
clothing & adornments of the spectators.
The losing team would lose their heads.

Tzompantli (Wall of Skulls) The wall of
skulls was erected in the Toltec era as
a platform to hold the skulls of those who
were sacrificed to the Gods.