The Temple of the Eagles and Jaguars in Chichen Itza got its name from reliefs showing Eagles and Jaguars devouring human hearts, this Temple is the smallest of the set of structures that form “the grate level plane” which includes: the Kukulkán Temple, Venus Temple, and the Great Ball Court.

It’s very likely that there would be banners in the form of jaguars with spotted skin, such as those found in the Sacred Cenote. It’s also assumed that on this platform there was a stockade showcasing skulls of slaughtered enemies. The outgoing body has representations of eagles and warriors that carry human heads in their hands. 

Physical description of the Temple of the Eagles and Jaguars

The Temple of the Eagles and Jaguars in Chichen Itza is a square base with four staircases on each side bordered by balustrades and decorated with bodies of feathered serpents, which change their slope to form a cube in the upper part from which the heads of these serpents emerge.

The base has a slope, followed by a vertical wall with protruding panels and a cornice board. In the outer panels, there are reliefs of eagles eating human hearts and in the sunken spaces, beautiful representations of spotted jaguars, also devouring human hearts; you can find Kukulkan or Venus in the form of a recumbent warrior with a spear in his hand.

Location of the Temple of the Eagles and Jaguars in Chichen Itza

The Temple of the Eagles and Jaguars in Chichen Itza is located in the Grand Plaza between to the Tzompantli and the Venus Temple.