After getting to know its capital and the theoretical part of the history of Mexico, it was time to see it hands on. So we took a bus to the nearby ruins and pyramids of Teotihuacan.
Important history
Teotihuacan, “the place where men become gods”, was the most important and largest pre-Columbian city in Mexico. At its peak an estimated population of about 175,000 people lived there. Apart from the stunning pyramids, Teotihuacan is also anthropologically significant. It’s complex, multi-family residential compounds, the “Avenue of the Dead” and the vibrant, well-preserved murals make it an unique archeological site to visit. Therefore it is one of the most visited archaeological sites in Mexico. But we were pretty lucky. There weren’t that many people around when we arrived.
The Pyramids
The main monuments are connected by a wide central road, the “Avenue of the Dead”. It has a length of 2 kilometers and it is believed to have been paved with tombs. After a first glance at the whole site, we headed to the”Pyramid of the Sun”. It is the third largest pyramid in the world with a height of 65 meters. Of course we had to climb it up!
A lot of exhaustingly high steps later we were rewarded with an amazing view. We could imagine how it has been living in such an impressively huge and well organized city. Spotting the second and smaller “Pyramid of the Moon” from the top of the “Pyramid of the Sun”, we decided to take a closer look at it next.
We walked along the “Avenue of the Dead” to the northern end of the city. We gazed at the surrounding lower pyramids and ruins on the sides, before we reached the second of the two big pyramids. Other than the big one, you can’t climb up all the way to the top of the “Pyramid of the Moon”. But the view from the platform half the way was impressive. You could see the “Pyramid of the Sun” and follow the “Avenue of the Dead” all the way to the Southern end of the site.
Last but not least we visited the small museum onside. With some artifacts and a fascinating diorama of the former city, it was a good conclusion to an amazing cultural day trip! ☺️
