More than 7,000 ignore clouds to gather at Chichén Itzá for the equinox

Thousands of tourists converged at Chichén Itzá's Great Pyramid of Kukulcán during the autumn equinox to witness the mesmerizing illusion known as the descent of the serpent. This captivating phenomenon occurs when sunlight casts a serpent-like shadow on the pyramid's northern balustrade in a precise angle. The formation, known as the hierophanies of the equinoxes, is a result of the intricate design of El Castillo, or the Temple of Kukulcán, which projects seven isosceles triangles of light that appear as a glowing serpent moving down the pyramid toward its base.

The National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) arranged a special operation to accommodate the large influx of visitors, allowing access from Sunday through Tuesday. The pyramid, built in the shape of a geometric pyramid with nine truncated levels, features central staircases on each of the four sides, each with 91 steps, totaling 364 steps. The platform on which the pyramid rests adds one more step, making a total of 365 steps, corresponding to the number of days in the Maya calendar year.

INAH stated that the equinox's instant occurred at 3:51 p.m. on Monday, drawing a line between the ancient Maya's remarkable accuracy in observing celestial movements and the cycles of the seasons, which played a crucial role in their agricultural practices. This year, despite intermittent cloud cover due to the onset of autumn before the rainy season's end, over 7,000 visitors managed to observe the captivating display.

Last year, Chichén Itza surpassed both Teotihuacán and Tulum to become the most popular cultural tourism site in Mexico, according to the Tourism Ministry.