The Church

The Church at Chichén Itzá is a small one-chamber building named for its proximity to the so-called convent of the Nunnery and for the exuberant decoration of its upper facade, which is heightened by a lofty roofcomb. Large areas of original stucco remain visible on the Grecian frets of the central panel. “Bignosed” masks dominate the facade, including a seated figure, either a god or an ancestor, integrated upon the nose of the central mask, while figures of the four carriers of the corners of the sky, the bacabes or pauahtunes, kneel in the side panels. The roofcomb shows that the builder had difficulty placing three large masks taken from earlier buildings and chose to suppress details. Although the building’s function remains unknown, despite its overloaded decoration it is one of the best architectural examples of the Puuc style in Chichén Itzá.

Yucatán · Mexico