{"id":1721,"date":"2021-05-20T14:30:40","date_gmt":"2021-05-20T14:30:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stage.openvirtualworlds.org\/worldheritageexpo\/?page_id=1721"},"modified":"2021-05-21T14:26:03","modified_gmt":"2021-05-21T14:26:03","slug":"cenotes","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/stage.openvirtualworlds.org\/worldheritageexpo\/cenotes\/","title":{"rendered":"Cenotes, Yucat\u00e1n Peninsula of Mexico"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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CENOTES<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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What is a cenote?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A Cenote refers to an underground chamber or cave which contains permanent water. In other words, it is a natural sinkhole where the ceiling of the cave has collapsed. The word Cenote, which is pronounced as \u201cseh-no-tay\u201d, is a Spanish conversion of the Yucatec Maya word \u201cD\u2019zonot<\/strong>\u201d or \u201cTs\u2019onot<\/strong>\u201d.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Cenotes come in all sorts of different shapes and sizes. The most common types of cenotes are Cave, Semi-Open and Open Cenotes. Cave cenotes being the youngest and the open cenote being the oldest as it\u2019s cave ceiling has fallen into itself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Types of Cenotes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Cenotes have different ages and are classified as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Cavern<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

They are the youngest and the most enigmatic cenotes, since their water mirror is still inside a cave, so the Mayans chose them as a stage for some of their ceremonies.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Semi-open <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

These types of cenotes are middle-aged, because although they are not yet old enough to be fully exposed, a part of them has already been exposed to the elements.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Open <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

They are the oldest cenotes, since with the passage of time (that is, millions of years), the roof that covered them gives way and collapses, leaving them out in the open.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Ancient<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Also due to many millions of years of existence, the roof that covered this type of cenote yields, and leaves the area completely exposed.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Location<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are thousands of cenotes dotted all over Mexico\u2019s Yucatan Peninsula, and their existence is as much a defining characteristic of the region as is the distinct geological feature from which they result. <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Top 10<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In Mexico there are more than 10,000 cenotes of different sizes and depths. The following compilation shows the 10 most essential and impressive cenotes in the country:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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1. Cenote Azul, Bacalar<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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2. Cenote Dos Ojos, Tulum<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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3. Cenote Carwash, Tulum<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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4. Cenote Calavera, Tulum<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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5. Cenote de Ik Kil, Chich\u00e9n Itz\u00e1<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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6. Cenote Jard\u00edn Del Ed\u00e9n, Quintana Roo<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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7. Gran Cenote, Tulum<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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8. Cenote Cristalino, Playa del Carmen<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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9. Cenote Sac Actun, Tulum<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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10. Cenote Escondido, Tulum<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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