El Castillo
El Castillo
5
8:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Monday
8:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Tuesday
8:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Wednesday
8:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Thursday
8:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Friday
8:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Saturday
8:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Sunday
8:00 AM - 4:30 PM
About
This impressive pyramid dominates Chichén Itzá's landscape, standing an imposing 24 meters high.
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
5.0
4,212 reviews
Excellent
3,526
Very good
566
Average
90
Poor
17
Terrible
13
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Brandylady
Aberdeen, UK1,312 contributions
Feb 2020
Unfortunately you can no longer climb the pyramid .... I was just taking a photo and 3 figures appeared at the top , but it was workmen working on the masonry around the top ! Watched them descend step by step on their bottoms .. it is very steep and no railings , to be honest probably best we are not allowed to climb up it !
Written February 28, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jorge Daniel Reyes
Santiago de Veraguas, Panama77 contributions
Feb 2020
This would be a place where you can appreciate the foundations of one of the greatest civilizations that existed in America before the conquest. With exceptional architecture, you will see first-hand a vestige of what life was like for the people who lived there, their customs and the enormous skills they had in the fields of architecture and buildings.
If in doubt, a place that I would visit again.
If in doubt, a place that I would visit again.
Written September 18, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
BrakiWorldTraveler
Belgrade, Serbia20,004 contributions
Jan 2021
Well, this is the main attraction of Chichen Itza and one of the most famous landmarks in the world. It's enlisted in the new seven wonders of the world.
It's full name is Temple of Kukulkan - a feather divine beast adorned by Maya which had supernatural powers.
On El Castillo, Kukulkan is carved twisted on both sides of the northern stairway. It's so immaculately built that only twice a year, during the spring and autumn equinoxes, the sun illuminates its entire length from top to bottom (amazing, see it on Youtube).
Besides that there're more interesting facts - the pyramid has 9 levels plus the Temple on top. Each side's staircase has 91 stairs, which multiplied by 4 sides and the Temple on top makes the grand total of 365 (days in year).
It's full name is Temple of Kukulkan - a feather divine beast adorned by Maya which had supernatural powers.
On El Castillo, Kukulkan is carved twisted on both sides of the northern stairway. It's so immaculately built that only twice a year, during the spring and autumn equinoxes, the sun illuminates its entire length from top to bottom (amazing, see it on Youtube).
Besides that there're more interesting facts - the pyramid has 9 levels plus the Temple on top. Each side's staircase has 91 stairs, which multiplied by 4 sides and the Temple on top makes the grand total of 365 (days in year).
Written February 9, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
msa23_2000
Chino Hills, CA1,492 contributions
Nov 2020
The heart of Chichen Itza. A guide really helped us better understand and appreciate the history and symbolism. You can’t climb it, but that’s ok. We went in the afternoon and it was not too crowded. Lots of Covid precautions, temperature check /‘d mask requirements.
Written November 22, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Patty Kanyaporn
390 contributions
Jul 2023 • Friends
One such wonder is the Kukulkan Pyramid, also known as El Castillo, a magnificent structure that captivates visitors with its architectural prowess and intriguing acoustic phenomenon.
This majestic structure is not just visually stunning; it also possesses a fascinating sonic quality. When you stand facing the base of the pyramid and clap your hands, a distinct echo reverberates back, resembling the chirp of a serpent.
The chirping echo is not just a random sound; it holds cultural significance. The Maya people believed that Kukulkan, the feathered serpent god, descended to Earth from the heavens. The echo resembling a chirp was thus interpreted as the voice of the god responding to the claps of the worshippers. This act of clapping served as a form of communication or offering to the deity.
A very warm day for walking around but the queue was worth the wait!
This majestic structure is not just visually stunning; it also possesses a fascinating sonic quality. When you stand facing the base of the pyramid and clap your hands, a distinct echo reverberates back, resembling the chirp of a serpent.
The chirping echo is not just a random sound; it holds cultural significance. The Maya people believed that Kukulkan, the feathered serpent god, descended to Earth from the heavens. The echo resembling a chirp was thus interpreted as the voice of the god responding to the claps of the worshippers. This act of clapping served as a form of communication or offering to the deity.
A very warm day for walking around but the queue was worth the wait!
Written March 1, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Steve Lewis
Lausanne, Switzerland892 contributions
Feb 2020
This temple is probably the best restored temple in the area. You can see a fully restored face while another one shows how it was discovered.
As they remove most of the surrounding trees, you can see very well the temple \
Go early as the heat could simply disgust you from staying
As they remove most of the surrounding trees, you can see very well the temple \
Go early as the heat could simply disgust you from staying
Written March 11, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Phil R
Kansas City, MO754 contributions
Sep 2021 • Solo
Very good temple. Very beautiful and well maintained. The grounds around the temple are very well maintained and easy for anyone with mobility challenges to get to the site. The echo from clapping near the stairs was very interesting. If you stay later in the day there are fewer people and you can get a picture with no one in front of it.
Written October 2, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
bucketlisttravellers
Sydney, Australia3,640 contributions
Jan 2020 • Couples
This pyramid is the main event in Chichen-Itza. It is surrounded by smaller temples and other ancient buildings. If you come earlier in the day it's easier to get an unobstructed shot. We found it quite amusing to watch people taking creative photos with the pyramid such as using perspective and angles to make it look like they were holding the pyramid.
Written February 16, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
PPCI-BG
Bergamo, Italy124,480 contributions
Jan 2024 • Couples
The Kukulkan pyramid is the main building of Chichen Itza. Compared to the Egyptian pyramids but also to those of Teotihuacan it is quite small but stands out for its architectural perfection with its calendar and astronomical symbolisms making it stand out. Famous for the shadow of the Feathered Serpent which forms at the equinox, joining the sculpted heads at the base of the staircase. When we visited it it wasn't the right date but it is in any case an impressive monument.
Written February 15, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mimiro1900
Italy383 contributions
Feb 2024 • Family
The pyramid of Kukulkan is the main structure of Chichén Itzá and is also known by the name of El Castillo.
It had a religious function!
Structurally it is square-based and on each side there are stairs that each count 91 steps for a total of 364 steps that added to the upper platform of the temple make a total of 365, the days of the year!
On one of these stairs, the north, there are sculptures of feathered snakes, which during the spring and autumn equinoxes, as the sun goes down, give life to an optical spectacle, make these feathered snakes crawl!
Too bad that for some years you can no longer climb given the danger in climbing and descending the steps and also to preserve the site that since the eighties is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
It had a religious function!
Structurally it is square-based and on each side there are stairs that each count 91 steps for a total of 364 steps that added to the upper platform of the temple make a total of 365, the days of the year!
On one of these stairs, the north, there are sculptures of feathered snakes, which during the spring and autumn equinoxes, as the sun goes down, give life to an optical spectacle, make these feathered snakes crawl!
Too bad that for some years you can no longer climb given the danger in climbing and descending the steps and also to preserve the site that since the eighties is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Automatically translated
Written December 2, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hola! Quisiera visitar Chichen Itza, el viernes 25 de marzo. Pero en la TARDE, tengo el tiempo justo y solo dispongo desde las 11 am. Podrian ayudarme a saber si hay algun tour disponible o modo de llegar? Gracias 🙏
Written February 13, 2022
paga algum valor para entrar? e quais os dias e horários que pode ir?
Written January 7, 2020
Ola a atração é gratuita não sei se esta sempre abaerta, acredito que sim é um lugar lindo vale conhecer
Written January 7, 2020
Que tal buen dia.
Alguien me puede decir que dias hay show de luces nocturno? Costos y todo lo que se necesite saber.
Es en la piramide de kukulkan en chichen itza ?
Written September 22, 2019
Información de una página de una agencia .. no estuve
Recorrido y narrativa audio lumínica
El recorrido en la zona arqueológica de Chichén Itzá inicia en la entrada principal y rodea los principales monumentos arqueológicos, con una duración aproximadamente de 45 minutos, al término de ese tiempo usted podrá situarse en los asientos disponibles para disfrutar de una proyección narrativa y audio lumínica sobre la pirámide de Kukulkán con una duración de aproximadamente 25 minutos, en donde conocerá más sobre la historia de los mayas.
Recomendaciones
Puede tomar fotografías en los sitios arqueológicos y en la proyección sobre la pirámide, pero no está permitido el uso del flash.
Lleve ropa cómoda, de preferencia use tenis debido a que los caminos no están pavimentados.
Puede llevar una botella de agua.
Deposite la basura en los contenedores destinados para ello.
Consulte con su agente de viajes o directamente en taquilla
Written September 27, 2019
Alguien sabe cuál es el valor de un taxi desde playa del Carmen hasta Chichen iza?
Written January 22, 2019
Hola José está retirado saldría caro
Sería cuestión que ahí mismo en algún agencia te hagan un paquete y disfrutes algunos lugares cerca de ahí
Written January 23, 2019
Hola , como fuiste ese dia ? mucha gente? voy sola , que me recomendas? las entradas se sacan en forma anticipada
Written October 19, 2018
Hola que tal , si hay mucha gente los fines , lleva zapato cómodo y bloqueador solar , entrando hay guías y si encuentras un grupo puedes unirte espero lo disfrutes .
Written October 19, 2018
Hola daniel,me podrías dar información del equinoccio, como fue ese día, mucha gente? como fuiste ? con tours conviene fuiste por cuenta propia
Written October 19, 2018
yo no fui en el equinoccio pero fui unos días antes y había mucha gente. me dijeron que ese día hay muchísima y con el sol anda con mucha agua y gorro. aunque hay árboles si hay gente te quedas sin sombra
Written October 19, 2018
Si el equinoccio es a las 19:45 en setiembre de este año, a esa hora todavía se puede ver o el sol ya se ocultó? Te dejan entrar a verlo a esa hora?
Written September 5, 2018
Hola Vanessa, en la pàgina oficial no hay esta informaciòn que busco. muchas gracias.
Written September 6, 2018
A qué hora es el fenómeno del equinoccio el 21 de setiembre 2018?
Written September 1, 2018
Según el calendario de solsticios y equinoccios el equinoccio de Septiembre de 2018 tiene lugar el día 23 de a las 01:54 horas UTC. Esto significa que el momento justo del equinoccio de otoño en México es el 22 de Septiembre de 2018 a las 19:54 horas.
Al atardecer del 22 de Septiembre de 2018 es cuando se observa el fenómeno de una proyección solar serpenteante. Consistente en siete triángulos de luz, invertidos, como resultado de la sombra que proyectan las nueve plataformas de ese edificio, al ponerse el sol.
Written September 2, 2018
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