El Caracol, Chichen Itza, Astronomical observatory in Chichen Itza, Mexico.
El Caracol is a circular tower about 75 feet high with two concentric walls that enclose several chambers with strategically placed viewing windows. The winding interior staircase leads up to the observation platform from which priests studied the sky.
The construction dates to the year 906 during the late Classic Maya period and shows the advanced astronomical knowledge of this civilization. Later modifications expanded the complex to capture even more celestial phenomena.
The alignment of the building to Venus and other celestial bodies shows how important astronomical observations were for religious calendars and agricultural cycles. Visitors can still see today the narrow window slits through which priests once tracked the movement of the stars.
Morning visits provide better lighting for photographs and fewer tour groups around the site. Access is through guided tours that start from Mérida or Cancún and include several ruins in Chichén Itzá.
A total of twenty different astronomical alignments have been identified in the architecture, marking specific celestial events and seasonal changes. In particular, the alignment with the extremes of Venus allowed precise predictions for religious festivals and harvest times.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
