The area of Chichén Itzá Viejo, within the archaeological zone of Chichén Itzá, will open next September 2nd. This area is little known to visitors and was restored in recent years as part of the Tren Maya work.
Last Monday during a morning conference at the National Palace, the General Director of the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH), Diego Prieto Méndez, confirmed the opening of this area, denying rumors about conflicts with the hotel family headed by businessman Fernando Barbachano, that would prevent it from being opened to the public.
“Indeed, as we have already announced, we are about to open a new area of the ancient Mayan city of Chichén Itzá, known as Chichén Viejo (Old Chichén) or Initial Series. We are talking about an urban center that precedes the one we know now,” Prieto Méndez explained.
The head of INAH explained that a new access to the area will have to be opened to avoid conflicts with the Barbachano family.
“In the case of the opening of Chichén Viejo, we actually intended to be able to access through a property that is very close to the structures of El Caracol and Monjas, to the south of El Castillo. But this property belongs to Mrs. Isabel Barbachano”.
“She decided to close her property and, well, in some sense she hasthe right. Although it is part of the monument area, it is private property. That will have to be subject to a structural solution”.
“I personally went to talk to her. Apparently we had reached an agreement, but she considered that we better leave that step closed; of course, we will also leave closed the possibility of accessing the monumental area from her hotel”.
So, each one of us in the properties that we own are going to work, he continued, the alternate road is already being enabled, where not a single inch of his property is touched, there is no problem, of course the institute does not favor any kind of conflicts. Now everyone will have an opinion on the conduct of this family, respectable, like any citizen, any group of citizens.
“We are not going to touch an inch of your property. She will know what to do with the lands she has in possession.
Prieto said the family has a series of limitations of use. This is because the federal law states that any activity in an area of archaeological monuments must be authorized by the federal government through the INAH.
TYT Newsroom
