El Castillo (Chichen Itza) when it was discovered in 1892 vs. Present-day.

El Castillo (Chichen Itza) when it was discovered in 1892 vs. Present-day.

El Castillo is a Mesoamerican stepped Pyramid approximately 30 meters high; the base is 55.3 meters square. It was built by the Mayans from the 9th to 12th century AD.

El Castillo is a magnificent tribute to the mathematical and astronomical skills of the Maya. The accuracy of the celestial measurements combined with their rich religious beliefs to produce this outstanding temple full of intrigue, mystery and sheer wonder.

Each side of the four sides of the pyramid has 91 stairs or a total of 364. The common platform at the top makes the grand total of 365 stairs – the number of days in a year. The Pyramid is layered like a cake with nine tiers. The staircase divides the tiers creating 18 tiers per side. The Mayan calendar had 18 months (winals) to form a Mayan year (tun).

Learn more about the incredible site of Chichen Itza