Chichen Itza Map and Structures: What to See
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Chichen Itza's main structures include El Castillo (Temple of Kukulcan), the Great Ball Court, the Warriors group and the southern buildings. Our map shows these stops and the Sacred Cenote, not measured paths. A guided walk takes about 2 to 2.5 hours. You view buildings from permitted paths without climbing or entering them.
Last checked: . Choose your monument stops below; follow current signs and staff directions.
| Structure or group | Dates and chronology | Purpose | Architecture or natural form | What is known |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Great Ball Court | Construction date: not specified in the monument account. | Ballgame and ceremonial space; the full rules and sacrifice outcomes are not established. | Approximately 168 m by 70 m for the complex, not just the playing surface; parallel walls, stone rings and reliefs. | High: documented layout and dimensions. Qualified: ritual interpretations. The carvings do not identify sacrificed winners or losers. |
| Sacred Cenote | Natural feature, not a constructed building; the start of ritual use is not dated in the site account. | Offerings and ritual activity supported by archaeological deposits; not a recreational swimming stop. | Limestone sinkhole, approximately 60 m across; water about 22 m below the rim and around 13 m deep, over 3 to 4 m of mud and deposits (roughly 40 m from rim to bottom). | High: natural form, diameter and recovered deposits. Approximate: depth figures, which shift with the water level. Qualified: interpretations of rituals. The nearby chultun DNA study is separate evidence. |
| Temple of the Warriors | Construction date: not specified in the monument account. | Temple with warrior imagery; the carvings do not establish a modern military function. | Square plan, four stepped tiers and a western staircase; warrior pillars, upper Chac Mool and serpent features; adjacent columns. | High: documented form and sculptures. Qualified: resemblance to Tula does not prove conquest or identify builders. Thousand Columns is a name, not a verified count. |
| El Caracol | At least six documented remodelings; construction and phase dates are not specified in the monument account. | Possible astronomical observation; published interpretation connects windows with Venus, but a single original function is not established. | Circular building with an interior spiral stair, on two rectangular platforms with different orientations. | High: form, platforms and remodeling record. Qualified: observatory use and Venus interpretation; the published account gives no exact sightlines. |
| Tzompantli and Great Plaza platforms | Construction dates: not specified for the separate platforms. | Skull, animal and Venus imagery; no single ceremony or victim total follows from the carvings alone. | Three separate low platforms: skull reliefs; eagles and jaguars carrying hearts; Great Plaza Venus Platform with four stairways. | High: documented identities and carved subjects. Qualified: symbolic and ritual interpretations. The animal-platform description relies on a historical report. |
| Las Monjas and the southern group | The buildings do not share one specified construction date; the Osario's depicted captive date of 998 CE is not a building date. | Distinct buildings with different histories, not one convent or a single-purpose precinct; Las Monjas is a later visitor name. | Las Monjas combines Puuc and Chenes features; nearby monuments include La Iglesia, the Osario and Casa Colorada. Xtoloc is a natural cenote. | High: documented architectural features and separate monument identities. The available monument descriptions leave a unified purpose, building dates and Akab Dzib's age and name translation unspecified. |
Last updated 2026-11-11 · By Maya Explorer Tours editorial team
Chichen Itza archaeological zone
Where are the main stops on the map?
Selected monuments and services · Not to scale
monument
El Castillo
The Pyramid of Kukulkan is the central landmark of the Great Plaza. The map indicates its position, not a route onto the monument.
View from the plaza; no climbing or interior access is offered by this map.
Place directory (11)
Public entry is only through CATVI, the Visitor Attention Center next to the Gran Museo, under the May 31, 2026 entry arrangements. The inset does not show its geographic position.
Follow current CATVI entry signs and staff guidance. The old west gate and private hotel gates are not shown as open.
The Pyramid of Kukulkan is the central landmark of the Great Plaza. The map indicates its position, not a route onto the monument.
View from the plaza; no climbing or interior access is offered by this map.
The Great Ball Court lies northwest of El Castillo, on the western side of the main monument group.
Walking order is a suggested sequence. Use the marked visitor paths around the monument.
The Temple of the Warriors and Thousand Columns form the monument group east of El Castillo.
The marker represents the group; it does not authorize entering or climbing protected structures.
The Sacred Cenote lies north of the Great Plaza and is approached along the sacbe, the raised white-road connection.
Archaeological viewing stop, not a swimming cenote.
El Caracol is in the southern monument group, beyond the main plaza and Osario area.
Confirm the southern visitor route is open with staff; the line is not a step-free certification.
The Las Monjas complex is south of El Caracol. This marks the southern-group destination rather than every building in the complex.
Visitor access and roped-off areas may change. Follow site signs and staff instructions.
CATVI has a ticket office under its March 2026 opening arrangements. The inset does not mark the exact ticket window.
Ask staff which ticket queue to use at CATVI.
Visitor toilets are at CATVI. The inset groups services but does not mark each door's exact position.
Ask staff where the toilets are and which have an accessible approach.
CATVI has tourism-information spaces. Staff can clarify the signed approach to the monument area.
CATVI services inset; exact counter and connecting-path positions are not claimed.
Visitor parking is available at CATVI. The inset is not a parking-lot plan or geographic position.
Current charges and bay availability are not shown.
Walking route descriptions and stops
Main plaza circuit
Core-plaza stop order: El Castillo, the Great Ball Court and the Warriors group. Follow permitted plaza paths; dashed connectors are not surveyed trails.
- El Castillo
- Great Ball Court
- Temple of the Warriors
- El Castillo
Sacred Cenote walk
A northward orientation branch along the sacbe to the Sacred Cenote, returning toward the plaza. Swimming is not permitted; the CATVI arrival connection is not mapped.
- El Castillo
- Sacred Cenote
- El Castillo
Southern monuments
Plaza-to-southern-group stop order toward El Caracol and Las Monjas. Follow signed paths; ask staff whether the southern visitor areas are open.
- El Castillo
- El Caracol Observatory
- Las Monjas / Nunnery
- El Castillo
Orientation schematic, not to scale or live navigation. CATVI entry and services are shown in a separate non-geographic inset; the arrival connection is not mapped. Dashed lines indicate stop order, not surveyed footpaths. Follow signs and staff guidance. Uneven terrain; step-free access is not established.
What structures can you see at Chichen Itza?
Chichen Itza has temple pyramids, a ball court, carved platforms, columns and natural cenotes. The main groups sit around the Great Plaza, with branches north, east and south. These walking groups are not an official count of ancient neighborhoods.
Choose the groups you want to see before you start walking. Use the main plaza as your return point when you add a branch. Each linked name below leads to the building's own page.
- El Castillo: the stepped temple pyramid on the Great Plaza.
- Great Ball Court: a long playing field with high walls, stone rings and carved panels.
- Sacred Cenote: a natural sinkhole reached by the northern sacbe, a raised white road.
- Temple of the Warriors and the Group of a Thousand Columns: a temple and rows of carved pillars east of El Castillo.
- El Caracol: the round tower on the southern branch, often called the observatory.
- Tzompantli and Great Plaza platforms: separate low platforms with skull, animal and Venus carvings.
- Las Monjas and the southern group: buildings with carved facades, temple platforms and nearby natural water sources.
Where do you enter and find visitor services?
CATVI, the Visitor Attention Center next to the Gran Museo, is the public entrance under the May 31, 2026 reopening arrangements. Follow entry signs rather than an old map showing a hotel gate.
CATVI has ticket offices, toilets, parking and visitor information spaces in the arrival area, not all on the Great Plaza. Ask staff about the signed approach to the monuments, assistance and your return point.
The map keeps arrival services in a separate inset. It does not mark exact doorways or the connecting path to the plaza. For road directions to CATVI, see our location and directions guide.
How do the main buildings and cenotes differ?
Chichen Itza's landmarks differ in size and form: El Castillo is a pyramid, the Great Ball Court is a walled complex, and cenotes are natural sinkholes. The figures below describe monuments, not walking distances.
- El Castillo: about 30 m high with 9 tiers. The traditional 365 count combines four stairways of 91 steps and the top platform. Restoration complicates the calendar interpretation.
- Great Ball Court: about 168 m long by 70 m wide for the complex, not just the playing field. The site has 13 ball courts; that is not a visitor-access count.
- Sacred Cenote: about 60 m across, with water about 22 m below the rim and around 13 m deep. Visitors view this archaeological cenote rather than swim in it.
- Temple of the Warriors: 4 tiers, a western staircase and warrior-carved pillars. Thousand Columns is the group's name, not a verified count.
- El Caracol: a round tower with a spiral stair on two rectangular platforms. Its use for astronomy is an interpretation, not proof of every claimed Venus sightline.
Which walking order should you choose?
A Chichen Itza plaza loop starts with El Castillo, the Great Ball Court and nearby platforms, then the Warriors group. Add the Sacred Cenote to the north or El Caracol and Las Monjas to the south.
El Castillo is the central landmark, with the ball court northwest and the Warriors group east. Use the pyramid to find your way back to the plaza.
Choose your branch before leaving the plaza and allow time to return. Follow the staff-directed approach from CATVI; schematic spacing cannot show a shortcut or walking distance.
- Plaza circuit: El Castillo, Great Ball Court, nearby platforms and the Warriors group.
- Northern extension: the Sacred Cenote along the permitted sacbe, then back toward the plaza.
- Southern extension: the Osario, El Caracol and Las Monjas, returning along the authorized route.
How long does the main monument walk take?
Our guided Chichen Itza walk takes about 2 to 2.5 hours on the private schedule. For the main sights overall, allow about 2 to 3 hours as a planning estimate, not a measured average.
Queues, breaks, heat, mobility needs and added branches can extend your visit. Choose the plaza circuit for a shorter walk, rather than treating every building as a required stop.
For a cenote swim, Valladolid or Ek Balam after the walk, see our Yucatan Peninsula guide.
Which smaller buildings are on the southern branch?
The southern branch includes the Osario, Cenote Xtoloc, Casa del Venado, Casa Colorada, El Caracol, Las Monjas, La Iglesia and Akab Dzib. These are separate places, not one uniformly dated complex.
The Market colonnade and steam bath belong to the eastern group near the columns. A smaller building can still be busy; size does not tell you how many people are there.
Xtoloc and the Sacred Cenote have different settings and histories. Keep photos and accounts of offerings tied to the cenote they describe. The southern group page gives each building its own context.
Can you climb or enter the buildings?
Visitors cannot climb or enter the Chichen Itza buildings on the monument walk. You see them from permitted exterior paths, following barriers, signs and staff directions.
Chichen Viejo is the separate Initial Series complex, not Las Monjas or the ordinary southern branch. Reserved visits run on Fridays and Saturdays for groups of up to 50, with INAH personnel and a guide.
The published windows are 9:00 to 11:30 a.m. and 12:00 to 2:30 p.m. (Chichen Itza time). Reserve at the archaeological-zone ticket office and confirm availability and admission conditions.
Event closures can differ from normal access. A past equinox closure does not establish today's status; ask about northern and southern branches on arrival.
How should you plan for walking and mobility?
Chichen Itza paths include uneven terrain, and a continuous certified step-free route through all groups is not established. Ask staff about surfaces, slopes, assistance and accessible toilets before choosing a long branch.
Include the CATVI approach when discussing your walking needs. Rain and maintenance can change ground conditions. Bring water, walking shoes and sun protection, and leave room for rest breaks.
Keep the plaza circuit as your shorter option if heat or fatigue makes an extension difficult. Private transport and a flexible pace do not give special access to protected buildings.
Where can you take photos of the monuments?
The Great Plaza gives you exterior views of El Castillo, while the ball court walls, Warriors columns and southern facades show different building forms. Use permitted paths for your photo stops.
Early light can suit a pyramid photo, as the visit timing page explains. Keep the Sacred Cenote view separate from a swimming-cenote photo; the places serve different purposes.
Which monument would you like to explore?
El Castillo (Kukulkan Pyramid)
Explore El Castillo's height, stairways, earlier construction and visitor access.
Explore Chichen Itza's Great Ball Court: its size, stone rings, carved players, ballgame traditions and echoes…
Visit the Sacred Cenote at Chichen Itza: where it sits, how wide and deep it is, what the offerings and sacrif…
Temple of the Warriors at Chichen Itza: its four tiers, carved warrior pillars, Chac Mool and serpent entrance…
El Caracol at Chichen Itza: why it is called the snail, its two platforms and six remodelings, the Venus link …
The Tzompantli at Chichen Itza is a carved skull platform on the Great Plaza: what its reliefs show, how it di…
Las Monjas at Chichen Itza and its southern neighbors: the Nunnery name, La Iglesia, the Osario pyramid, Casa …
What else should you know about the monument walk?
What is the most famous building at Chichen Itza?
El Castillo, also called the Temple of Kukulcan, is the central landmark of Chichen Itza’s Great Plaza. Its stepped sides and summit temple make the pyramid easy to recognize from the ground. You can choose it as the starting point for a walk, then branch toward other monument groups.
How many structures are there at Chichen Itza?
Chichen Itza has no published total for every building in its site record. The listed count of 13 ball courts covers the archaeological zone, not the number of courts or structures open on an ordinary visit. Choose named groups on the map rather than planning around an unsupported building total.
How long should you allow for the monument loop?
Our guided Chichen Itza walk takes about 2 to 2.5 hours on the private schedule. Allow about 2 to 3 hours for the main sights overall as a planning estimate. Northern or southern branches, queues, heat, rest breaks and mobility needs can add time, so choose your stops before starting.
Is every monument route suitable for a wheelchair?
A continuous certified step-free route through all Chichen Itza groups is not established. Ask site staff about the CATVI approach, current surfaces, slopes, assistance and accessible toilets. A ground-level view does not guarantee an accessible path. Choose the walking plan around your needs rather than assuming every extension will suit you.
Can you enter the buildings along the walking route?
Visitors cannot climb or enter the Chichen Itza buildings on the monument walk. View them from permitted exterior paths and follow barriers, signs and staff directions. An open-looking staircase or doorway is not permission to go inside. The suggested route shows sightseeing order, not special access to a protected monument.
Is Chichen Viejo part of the southern monument walk?
Chichen Viejo is the separate Initial Series complex, not the Las Monjas and Osario branch. Published reserved visits run on Fridays and Saturdays for groups of up to 50, accompanied by INAH personnel and a guide. Reserve at the archaeological-zone ticket office and confirm availability and admission conditions before planning that extension.