If you are still wondering why go to the Gran Cenote? You may still need more information about Chichén Itzá to finally decide to visit one of the great tourist attractions of the Riviera Maya.

The sacred cenote of Chichén Itzá

This is the tour you can’t miss, Chichen Itza, one of today’s modern wonders. The cenote we are talking about is inside the archaeological zone of Chichén Itzá. The meaning of the name of this ancient Mayan city is ”mouth of the well of the itzaes” referring to the large cenote.

The sacred cenote of Chichén Itzá is also known as the cenote of the sacrifices or Chenkú. It has a diameter of 60 meters, has a depth of about 20 meters and is of the open type. Nearby you can see buildings that are believed to be purification rooms.

Unlike the cenotes of Tulum, it is not suitable for swimming; this one is characterized by its greenish waters due to its shady location, the vegetation and the algae in its interior that give it that color.

Take advantage of your visit to tour the entire archaeological site and soak up ancient history. This site has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1998.

The best known attraction of Chichen Itza is undoubtedly the pyramid of Kukulcan, located south of the large cenote. Both are connected by a road of about 300 meters.

The sacred cenote for the Mayas

In the classic period it was a center of worship and pilgrimage, a kind of portal to the underworld or also known as Xibalba.

To date, more than 200 bodies, jewelry, ceramics and many other archaeological objects have been found, making it one of the cenotes in which the most tributes have been found (including gold objects).

Mayan sacrifices in the cenotes

The ancient Maya used the Cenotes for rituals or sacrifices, as they considered them sacred places that led to another world and places of communication with water gods.

In addition to human sacrifices, they threw offerings of all kinds as tribute to the deities. It is believed that the sacrificed people were previously killed on land and later thrown into the cenotes, along with more material offerings.

The cenotes

• Gran Cenote
• Cenote Dos Ojos
• Cenote Azul
• Cenote Calavera
• Cenote Jaguar

For those who are thinking of doing the cenotes route, you are in luck, because we have lists with several of them so you can choose to visit all or at least a couple of them.

Lodging in Cancun

Take the opportunity to visit all the cenotes and the best beaches of Cancun in the most popular resorts in the area. If you still haven’t booked a room in one of the hotels in Cancun of the Oasis Hotel Group, we make it easy for you: you have several discounts on their website ready to use.