Chichén Itzá is the largest of the ruined Mayan cities on the Yucatan Peninsula and one of Mexico's most-visited tourist destinations. Construction began in the 7th century and the city reached its peak after the arrival of the Toltecs in the 10th century.

Although much excavation work has been done and tour guides tend to use an air of utter certainty, most of what is said about Chichén Itzá is merely educated guessing. But we are fairly certain that this area was settled by farmers as far back as the 4th century AD and an urban society first appears in the 7th century.

In this early period, stone temples and palaces were constructed in the traditional Puuc Maya style. These buildings can be found in the "Old Chichén" section of the city and most are dedicated to the rain god Chac. Construction continued for a couple hundred years.

In the 10th century (the post-Classic era), the city came under the rule of the Itzáes, who arrived by way of the Gulf coast. They may have been a mix of highland Toltecs (the people who built the city of Tula in central Mexico) and lowland Putún Maya, a commercial people thriving on trade between the different regions of the area.

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