Which civilization built the ancient city of Chichén Itzá?

The Maya civilization built and developed the ancient city of Chichén Itzá.

Chichén Itzá flourished in the northern Yucatán Peninsula of present-day Mexico, especially between about 800 and 1100 CE. It was one of the largest and most influential Maya centres, combining monumental architecture with political, religious, and economic functions. The site includes the stepped pyramid known as El Castillo, the Great Ball Court, the Temple of the Warriors, and the Sacred Cenote.

El Castillo is associated with the Maya feathered-serpent deity Kukulcán. Around the equinoxes, sunlight creates a shadow pattern along the pyramid’s staircase that resembles a descending serpent, although the exact ancient intention is debated. Chichén Itzá also shows influences shared with or transmitted from central Mexico, which is why scholars discuss its connections with Toltec traditions. The city was not built by the Aztec or Inca civilizations. UNESCO designated it a World Heritage Site in 1988.