El Castillo/Temple of Kukulcán The most dramatic structure in
Chichén Itzá is El Castillo (the Castle), also known as the
Temple of Kukulcán. At 24 meters (79 feet) it’s the tallest
structure on the site, and certainly the most recognizable.
Dating to around A.D. 850, the Castillo was built according to
strict astronomical guidelines. There are nine levels, which,
divided by the central staircase, make for 18 platforms, the
number of months in the Maya calendar. Each of the four sides
has 91 steps; together with the platform on top, there are 365
steps, or one for each day of the year. There are 52 inset
panels on each face, equal to the number of years in each cycle
of the Calendar Round. On the spring and autumn equinoxes (March
21 and September 22), the afternoon sun lights up a bright
zigzag strip on the outside wall of the north staircase and the
giant serpent heads at the base, giving the appearance of a
serpent slithering down the steps. Chichén Itzá is mobbed during
those periods, especially by spirit