Teotihuacan was one of the largest cities of the ancient world, home to some 150,000 people at its height, yet no one knows who built it or what its inhabitants called it. The Aztecs found it already abandoned and named it themselves, in awe, ‘the birthplace of the gods’.
At a glance
Teotihuacan lies in the State of Mexico, north-east of Mexico City. The city was occupied from around 100 BCE to about 550 CE and, at its peak around 450 CE, held an estimated 150,000 inhabitants, making it one of the largest cities in the world at that time. Neither the identity of its founders nor its original name has survived: ‘Teotihuacan’ is a Nahuatl name given by the Aztecs, who encountered the ruins centuries after the city’s fall. It is inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List as the Pre-Hispanic City of Teotihuacan, listed in 1987.
Key facts
- Pyramid of the Sun: the largest single structure on the site, 225 metres wide and 71 metres high, built from an estimated 2.4 million tonnes of stone and fill.
- Pyramid of the Moon: 43 metres high, standing at the northern end of the Avenue of the Dead.
- Avenue of the Dead: a roughly 4-kilometre processional route, aligned with the peak of Cerro Gordo; the Aztecs mistook the platforms lining it for tombs, though they were residential and ceremonial complexes.
- Temple of the Feathered Serpent: excavations in the Ciudadela compound during the 1980s uncovered 196 sacrificial victims in the foundation deposits, all adult males in military dress with their hands bound.
- Murals: the city was extensively painted, with the best-preserved examples surviving at the Palace of the Jaguars and the Palace of the Feathered Conches, and in the Tepantitla compound’s ‘Paradise of Tlaloc’ scene.
- Heritage status: UNESCO World Heritage Site, inscribed 1987, as the Pre-Hispanic City of Teotihuacan.
History
Teotihuacan grew from a small settlement around 100 BCE into a major city of some 150,000 people by 450 CE. Distinct neighbourhoods housed Zapotec, Maya and Gulf Coast communities, pointing to a cosmopolitan population drawn from across Mesoamerica.
The city’s influence extended far beyond its own valley: Teotihuacan-style pottery and imagery have been found in Maya cities well over a thousand kilometres away, evidence of extensive trade and cultural contact.
Around 550 CE the city’s ceremonial and elite buildings were systematically burned, while the residential quarters of ordinary people were left largely untouched. Whether this was the result of internal revolt or an outside attack remains unresolved.
What you see
A visit typically begins at the Ciudadela, the walled compound containing the Temple of the Feathered Serpent, whose façade carries carved serpent heads and elaborate iconography. From there the Avenue of the Dead runs north for roughly four kilometres, lined with the platforms once mistaken by the Aztecs for tombs.
The Pyramid of the Sun rises beside the avenue; a stairway of 248 steps climbs its 71 metres to a summit with views over the site. Beneath the pyramid a natural lava tube, discovered in 1971, runs for around 100 metres and ends in a cloverleaf-shaped chamber thought to represent a symbolic underworld cave, though it is not generally open to visitors.
The avenue ends at the Pyramid of the Moon, whose terrace gives a long view back down the length of the site. Arriving early in the day helps avoid both the heat and the busiest hours of tour groups; current opening times are best checked with the site’s official channels.
Practical information
- Opening times and admission: these change periodically; check the official Teotihuacan or INAH channels before travelling.
- On-site facilities: authorised guides are available and can explain the cosmological alignment of the main axes.
- What to bring: the site is largely open and unshaded, so sun protection and water are advisable for the walk along the Avenue of the Dead and the pyramid climbs.
Getting there
Teotihuacan lies north-east of Mexico City. From the capital, buses run directly to the site from the Autobuses del Norte terminal, reachable by metro. By car, the route follows Federal Highway 132D. Guided day trips from Mexico City are also widely available; timetables and fares are best confirmed directly with the operators or the site’s official information channels.
Nearby
- Mexico City — south-west of Teotihuacan; the Zócalo, the Metropolitan Cathedral built over the stones of the Aztec Templo Mayor, and the Templo Mayor Museum, whose site was found by chance during electrical works in 1978.
- Xochimilco — south of Mexico City; known for its flower-garlanded trajinera boats and its chinampas, floating agricultural plots dating back to around 600 CE, part of the UNESCO-listed historic Mexico City and Xochimilco area inscribed in 1987.
Sources
- UNESCO
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