The main pyramid of this ancient Mayan city is dedicated to the serpent-headed deity Kukulcan. According to legend, it was Kukulcan who divulged the secrets of astronomy and mathematics to the Mayans. The pyramid has 91 steps on each of its four sides. Adding the number of steps, including the topmost ledge, one arrives at 365 – the number of days in a calendar year. Yet there are many other facts demonstrating the Mayan’s uncanny abilities and highly developed scientific skills. For example, the pyramid is laid out so that one of the corners points exactly to the position the sun takes up on December 21st, the day of the winter solstice. And each year during the summer solstice on March 21st, the rising sun casts a shadow in the shape of a serpent, slowly winding up the side of the pyramid – a spectacle attracting thousands of awe-struck spectators.
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