Chichen Itza, located on Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, holds significant archaeological importance as it dates back to the ancient Maya civilization. The site is already extensive, but there are plans to unveil another part of the pre-Hispanic city, known as “Chichen Viejo,” allowing visitors to explore even more of its historical wonders.
What we would describe as the Mayan city’s old town in modern-day terms will be open to the public for the first time ever from Sept. 2, said the director of the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH), Diego Prieto, at a press conference on Monday.
Chichen Viejo, which extends over 14,500 square meters and is located southwest of the current core site, is said to have been reserved for the Mayan elite. According to the INAH, the earliest architectural evidence of the ruined site dating back to the Late Classic period between A.D. 600 and 850, was found there in the so-called stucco palace.
” It is a kind of predecessor city of the currently known monumental site,” Prieto said. The new part that is being opened consists of 25 buildings built on two squares above a walled base, including residential buildings, small temples and administrative buildings. Archaeologists have been working on the site for over 30 years, but it has remained closed to visitors.
Chichen Itza, which translates as “At the edge of the well of the Itzaes,” is known for its various architectural styles. Among the preserved buildings are the Warrior’s Temple, the stepped pyramid temple of Kukulkan, called El Castillo by the Spanish, and a circular observatory known as El Caracol.
The sacred site, which became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988, is one of the most visited archaeological ruins in Mexico.
General admission for Chichén Itzá is $614 MXN ($36) for foreign tourists and $272 MXN for Mexican citizens.
