People Can't Believe This Entitled And Careless Tourist Who Climbed Mayan Pyramid
Chichén Itzá is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
People are upset after seeing a video of a woman climbing Mexico's sacred Chichén Itzá pyramid go viral. The caption of the viral video reads: "This is so disrespectful… don't mess with my Mexican people."
The Mayan building is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and while tourists were once allowed to climb the pyramid, scaling it has been forbidden since 2008. The Mayan pyramids are ancient monuments built by Mesoamerica's pre-Columbian Maya civilization.
The pyramids were constructed as part of ceremonial centers and were used as temples and tombs. They were typically built from stone, and many were adorned with stucco figures and ornaments made of precious metals.
The largest and most impressive of the Mayan pyramids can be found in the city of Tikal, in what is now modern-day Guatemala. This pyramid, known as Temple IV, is almost 200 feet tall and rests on a rectangular base. Other notable Mayan pyramids are located in the cities of Chichen Itza and Palenque in Mexico, Copan in Honduras, and El Mirador in Guatemala.
The unnamed woman is seen ascending the stairs in the TikTok video and dancing at the top.
An apparent security guard followed the woman and escorted her down. The crowd below booed her actions, and as she was led away from the scene, several people hurled water at her and yelled, "lock her up" and "prison!"
Watch the videos and read the story below:
The caption of the viral video reads: “This is so disrespectful… don’t mess with my Mexican people.”
People were confused by the video at first
@angelalopezeClimbing the pyramids was once allowed.
@angelalopezeClimbing was both dangerous and damaging to the stone
@angelalopeze
The throng below booed her actions, and as she was led away from the scene, several were hurling water at her and yelling "lock her up" and "prison!"
Here’s what viewers had to say about the story:
@angelalopeze
Some pyramids can be climbed, but this one has clear warning signs against it
@angelalopeze
Follow the rules, people
@angelalopeze
Historical artifacts don't live forever...
@angelalopeze
One wrong step and...
@angelalopeze
People actually died there...
@angelalopeze
It is scary. But maybe that's what's driving them
@angelalopeze
There is a fence around the pyramid, so it is highly unlikely she wasn't aware of the climbing ban
@angelalopeze
Climbing Mayan pyramids is not allowed for various reasons. First and foremost, these structures are often hundreds of years old and essential to Mayan culture and heritage.
Climbing them can cause damage to the structure and ruin it for future generations. Additionally, the structures may not be stable enough to be climbed safely, and the surface can be slippery, leading to a risk of injury.
The Mayan pyramids are also often part of important archaeological sites, and climbing them can disturb any artifacts that may be present and interfere with ongoing research. Furthermore, the pyramids are considered sacred and are believed to be the entrance to the afterlife.
Therefore, climbing them can be seen as disrespectful, and it is best to respect and admire these structures from a distance.
