Chichen Itza
Chichen Itza is a large complex of ancient Mayan ruins in the Yucatán Peninsula of Mexico, renowned for its step pyramid, El Castillo, and remarkable astronomical alignments.
Built by the Maya civilization and later influenced by the Toltec culture, Chichen Itza flourished as a major political and economic center between roughly 600 and 1200 CE.
Its central pyramid, El Castillo, is designed so that during the spring and autumn equinoxes, shadows create the illusion of a serpent slithering down the staircase, reflecting the Maya's sophisticated understanding of astronomy.
Chichen Itza was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988 and one of the New Seven Wonders of the World in 2007, and remains one of the most visited archaeological sites in Mexico.