El Castillo: Mayan Pyramid

El Castillo, or The Castle, also known as the Temple of Kukulcan, is the main pyramid at the archaeological site of Chichén Itzá in Yucatán State, Mexico. It is a Mesoamerican step-pyramid constructed by the ancient Pre-Colombian civilization of the Mayans at some time between 700 and 1200 AD. The structure is 24 meters high with a base of 55 meters square and the main material used is limestone. Its imposing design, state of preservation and overall historical significance have led to it being designated one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.

I had originally decided not to submit my idea - after completing it, I was surprised to find that there were already a number of very similar builds already submitted. On reflection though, I feel like I've invested too much time and energy into this project not to put it out there. I believe it is what the guidelines refer to as a 'generic idea' and as such, there may be numerous different interpretations of the same thing. I probably shouldn't have been surprised to find other versions of El Castillo out there - it's an incredibly famous landmark and clearly I'm not alone in thinking such a magnificent real world structure deserves its own LEGO set! Similarities in design and overlap in techniques are perhaps inevitable with projects built to the same scale - there are only so many different pieces and ways of utilizing them, after all! I don't think it hurts the chances of other submissions to add my own into the mix and actually improves El Castillo's chances of one day being approved as an official set!

My goal with this build was not to try to recreate the surface texture or reality of the structure, but rather to produce something more akin to an architectural model. I've never visited the site in person, but based on numerous photo references, the colour of the building can range from sandy brown to gray. Since the real thing is built from limestone, I decided Light Gray was the best choice for the majority of the stone work, with highlights in Light Bluish Gray. In reality, the base of the pyramid is surrounded by short grass, so I went with an array of the smallest stem pieces in Bright Green, embedded in Green technic bricks.

The roof of the model lifts off to reveal the inner sanctum, which I've tried to recreate using floor plans I found online, and even included a tiny 2-brick depiction of the Jaguar statue in the alcove. On the underside of the base, I've included something just for the builder: a representation of the Mayan symbol of the Etznab, meaning flint and obsidian, denoting the importance the Mayans placed on these materials for tools and building. I used Sky Blue pieces for this, as it's the closest LEGO colour to the famous Maya Blue pigment. The staircases on each side, which I wanted to be at a more acute angle than the 45 degree slopes of the sides, are achieved using plates with hinges at the top and bottom, overlaid with technic gear racks. The walls of the staircases then utilize a SNOT technique.

I would primarily see this as a display piece, though perhaps it might also have some educational use as it is a fairly accurate recreation of the real world pyramid. Mainly though, I just wanted to capture something of the awe-inspiring presence of El Castillo in LEGO bricks!

Part count: 2710

Approx dimensions: W 53cm L 53cm H 22cm