Teotihuacan - The Mexican Pyramids

On September 1, I made my fourth visit to Teotihuacan, one of the most famous group of pyramids in the world. In fact, in terms of density, it ranks #3 in the world. Getting there is pretty simple. It's about an hour outside of Mexico City. You can see the pyramids (two of the most famous are the pyramid of the sun and the pyramid of the moon) from miles away as you enter this United Nations World Heritage Site.

I arranged an early morning visit with an archeologist and shared the small group tour with two Colombians from Medellin. We started by examining some of the remains of paintings that were discovered a century ago, then  headed to the Pyramid of the Moon (the smaller of the two). This is protected and cannot be climbed. After lunch, we headed to the Pyramid of the Sun (the taller) where we made the trek up top for some spectacular views of the surrounding ruins.

Rather than plagiarize from others, the description from LiveScience.com pretty much sums this amazing place up:

"Located about 30 miles (50 kilometers) northeast of modern-day Mexico City, Teotihuacan was one of the largest urban centers in the ancient world. No one knows who built it. The city flourished between 2,100 years ago, when construction began, and about 1,400 years ago, when it went into a period of decline, including a fire that caused great damage. However, even with the decline, the city was never truly “lost” — the Aztecs made regular pilgrimages to the site in later periods.

What the city’s own inhabitants called the city and its structures is unknown. The current name, Teotihuacan, was given to it by the Aztecs and means “the place where the gods were created.”

Teotihuacan was the largest Pre-Columbian city in the Americas, reaching a total population of 150,000 at its height. The name is also used to refer to the civilization this city dominated, which at its greatest extent included most of Mesoamerica.  Construction of Teotihuacán commenced around 300 BC, with the Pyramid of the Sun built by 150 BC. 150–450 AD. "

For more photos, click here.