El Castillo (Pyramid of Kukulkán), Chichen Itza: How to Visit and What to Do Nearby

El Castillo, also called the Pyramid of Kukulkán, is a 30-meter stepped pyramid at the center of the Chichén Itzá archaeological site on Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula. The structure has 365 steps—91 on each of its four sides plus the temple platform—corresponding to the days of the solar year. During the spring and autumn equinoxes, late-afternoon sunlight creates triangular shadows on the northern staircase resembling a serpent descending the pyramid. The site was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988 and named one of the New Seven Wonders of the World in 2007. is just one of many options in Chichen Itza. Major attractions worth considering include Cenote Ik Kil, El Caracol, and El Caracol (Zona Arqueológica El Caracol).