Chichen Itza

Deep in a warm, green jungle, parrots squawk hello and monkeys chatter in the trees. Big leaves rustle in the breeze, hiding a secret. It is a city made of stone, with tall buildings that reach for the sun. One building looks like a giant birthday cake with steps all around it. Can you guess who I am. I am the amazing city of Chichen Itza.

I was built by very clever people called the Maya a long, long time ago, starting around the year 600. They were stargazers who loved to watch the sun and moon. They built me stone by stone, like stacking giant blocks. My biggest pyramid is called El Castillo, and it is like a huge calendar. It has 365 steps, one for every day of the year. Twice a year, when the sun shines just right, a shadow that looks like a wiggly serpent slithers all the way down my steps. It was a happy sign that the seasons were changing.

For many years, the jungle hugged me tight and kept me hidden like a secret treasure. The big green leaves were my blanket. Then, people called explorers found me again in the 1840s. They were so surprised to see my stone temples. Today, I live in a country called Mexico, and families from all over the world come to visit me. They walk where the Maya people walked and remember their wonderful stories. I love to show everyone how amazing things can be when people build their dreams together.