This coming Monday is the Fall Equinox, marking the day when we experience roughly the same amount of daylight and darkness. In ancient cultures this was a powerful reminder of the deep connection between nature, time and humanity, and it had a profound impact on the built environment. Many of these extraordinary ancient structures exist today (in partial ruins) displaying architectural ingenuity and yet still holding mysteries after all this time.

*Image courtesy of English-heritage.org*

Dating as far back as 3000 BCE, Stonehenge is the “most architecturally sophisticated and prehistoric stone circle in the world” (english-heritage.org). It features large sarsen stones (hard, large blocks of silicified sandstone) that form an outer circle, an inner horseshoe made of trilithons (paired upright stones connected by horizontal stone beams), and an Altar Stone (which today peaks through the grass).

Interlocking sarsen stones, courtesy of English-heritage.com

Image by DJHarty, courtesy of Pixabay

Scientists have been studying the prehistoric stone circle for decades and while mysteries remain, research shows that the configuration of the stones was “carefully placed to line up with the movements of the sun” according to English Heritage, the organization that maintains and conserves the site. The arrangement of the stones reveals how architecture and its orientation connected the inhabitants to natural events and celestial happenings. It may have served as “a religious temple, a solar calendar and an ancient observatory all in one” (cnn.com). The Autumn Equinox is one of the rare occasions when Stonehenge is open for public access. Hundreds gather to watch the sunrise above the stones and share a spiritual experience. Participants often engage in ceremonies that pay tribute to nature and ancient history (think Pagans and Druids).

Images courtesy of Stonehenge-tours.com

Chichén Itzá, Mexico

*Image courtesy of cancun-adventure.com*

One of the New 7 Wonders of the World, Chichen Itza is a complex of Mayan ruins on Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula dating back to 600 AD. The highlight of the archeological site is El Castillo or Temple of Kukulcan, dedicated to the Yucatec Maya Feathered Serpent deity. Standing at over 98 feet tall, the structure consists of a series of square terraces with stairways up each of the four sides leading to the temple on top. During the equinox, the sun “casts a series of triangular shadows… creating the illusion of a serpent [slithering] down the pyramid” (world.new7wonders.com). “Legend has it that on this day Kukulcan descends from the heavens to bless his believers on earth, and then continues on his way to the underworld” (Fairmont-mayokoba.com). In the final descent, the sun shines on the snake’s head, carved in stone at the bottom of the staircase, and lights it up.

Image courtesy of absolute-adventure-mexico.com

Image courtesy of magazine.vidanta.com

This phenomenon is more than just engineering brilliance, but a ritual that linked architecture to mythology and agricultural cycles as well. Serving as an astronomical observatory, the descent of Kukulcan down the pyramid signaled the end of the rainy season and a time for people to give thanks for the harvest. “This amazing sight shows the Mayans’ inclination toward mathematics, astronomy, and the sciences, and how it mixed with their culture” (cancun-adventure.com). Today, visitors gather at Chichen Itza to witness this phenomenon, to participate in a variety of ceremonies, and to enjoy traditional music, dance and Mayan cuisine. Fun fact: each side of the pyramid has 91 steps which, when added together with the temple platform base as the final step, totals 365 steps. Clever huh?

Photo courtesy of kunukhotel.com

Photo courtesy of tripadvisor.com

Machu Picchu, Peru

“The Lost City of the Incas”, Machu Picchu was an ancient citadel built by the Incas in the Andes Mountains of Peru and comprised of religious buildings, plazas and royal residences. The UNESCO World Heritage site demonstrates how the Incas carefully oriented structures to track solar events, specifically surrounding the Intihuatana stone (aka “the hitching post of the sun”). “The Incas…constructed their monuments and temples with precise alignment to the sun, helping them coordinate key activities such as religious festivals, agricultural cycles and ceremonies” (quechuasexpeditions.com).

*Intihuatana stone,* *Image courtesy of salkanraytrekking.com*

Placed on top of the mountain they considered sacred, “the stone is perfectly positioned so that each corner sits at the four cardinal points (north, south, east and west) and at an angle of about 13 degrees northward” (almanac.com). Serving as a sundial, normally the stone would cast a shadow throughout the day. However, on the day of the fall and spring equinox, it casts no shadow. The stone’s ability to ‘hitch the sun’ was a vital part of the Inca ceremonies and their worship of the sun god, Inti. Connecting the spiritual life to the surrounding landscape, the stone’s placement also held practical purposes such as planning planting and harvest times. Spiritual pilgrims visit the site during the equinox to witness this phenomenon and connect with the sacred Incan astronomical traditions. Interesting fact: Because Peru is in the Southern Hemisphere, September is the Spring equinox.

The precise configuration of these ancient structures is a testament to architecture’s ability to connect people to the natural world, hold spiritual and religious significance and embody cultural meaning. And to have a lasting impression that transcends time.

The Fall Equinox & Sacred Architecture