The Best Things to See at Teotihuacan
The Pyramids of Teotihuacan are the remains of an ancient civilisation. Found just outside of modern day Mexico City, the UNESCO site is one of the most extensively explored archeological sites in Mesoamerica and so easy to visit on a half-day trip from Mexico’s capital. The Pyramids and other structures at Teotihuacan may not be as tall as the Pyramids of Giza, but they’re just as fascinating. Even if you only have a few days in Mexico City, I recommend everyone make the journey to the ruins of this incredible city. Even the Aztecs regarded it as sacred upon discovering its ruins. At Teotihuacan, you step back 2,000 years in time. In this post, I’ll let you know the main structures to check out on your visit to this extremely popular Mexican destination.
- Going to Teotihuacan from Mexico City is easy. Don’t overlook the largest city in North America though. Read all about everything CDMX has to offer in my 3 day itinerary HERE.
Teotihuacan – The Basics:
- Where? 5580 San Juan Teotihuacan, Mexico.
- When? The Teotihuacan archeological site and ruins are open daily from 8.00am to 5.00pm.
- How much? General admission to Teotihuacan costs $85 MXN for adults, while children 13 years and under get in for free.
- Website: https://www.teotihuacan.inah.gob.mx/
The History of Teotihuacan
To this day, comparatively little is known about the inhabitants of Teotihuacan, especially compared to other legendary Mexican civilisations such as the Aztecs and Mayans. What is clear is that Teotihuacan predates many of its more famous contemporaries sites. In fact, we don’t even know the original name of the ancient city – Teotihuacan is the Nahuatl name given to the site by Aztec explorers many years after its fall.
It is believed that the founders of the ancient city began construction in the valley north-east of modern Mexico City around 100 BC. By 400 AD, their city had grown to an area of over 20 square kilometres and supported a population of over 150,000. A site of major power in Mesoamerica, Teotihuacan shared common beliefs with other Mexican cultures, ranging from creation myths, the significance of the ball game, a focus on astronomy and pyramid architecture. Being located in the middle of Mexico, it also had control over strategic trade routes, doing business with city states as far away as Copan and Tikal. The city would reach its zenith some time between 550 to 600 AD, at which time Teotihuacan was the largest city in the Western Hemisphere.
The fall of Teotihuacan would come abruptly, and was well and truly underway by the 7th century. Some kind of weather event is thought to have caused a severe decline in food production in the city, setting the scene for political leadership struggles in arduous times. This conflict hastened the city’s downfall, and by 900 AD, its population had dwindled to almost zero.
Teotihuacan lay forgotten until it was discovered by the Aztecs some 700 years later. Immediately fascinated by the site, they regarded Teotihuacan to be a city of the gods. It quickly became a Mexica pilgrimage site, and the architectural inspiration drawn from the site made its way into numerous pre-Columbian cities across Mesoamerica. While the Aztecs are long gone, the Pyramids of Teotihuacan remain an important site, drawing people from around the world. Visiting is especially popular during the spring equinox, when its said that assembling at the pyramids allow guests to absorb the sun’s special energy.
How to Get to Teotihuacan
The Teotihuacan archeological site is about 50 kilometres north-east of Mexico City. If you’re looking to save money, Autobuses Teotihuacan run a regular bus route from Terminal Central del Norte, departing every 15 minutes from 6.00am to 2.00pm. The bus ride takes around an hour and will cost you just over $5.00 USD for a round trip. Return buses that head back to the city until 8.00pm, so you’ll have plenty of flexibility in terms of planning out your day.
If group travel is more your thing, you can take an organised trip out to the ruins, although most of these will take up the whole day (though they may also stop at the Basilica of our Lady of Guadalupe in the north of Mexico City).
I think the best way to get to Teotihuacan however is by Uber. Even though its a 45 minute drive from downtown Mexico City to get out to the pyramids, its still extremely affordable. As I’ve said numerous times, Uber is such an affordable, safe and convenient way to get around Mexico City. A one way fare should only cost you around $500 to $600 MXD, though you may need to bring some cash for your driver to use the tollway. You’ll be let out at the first gate to enter the complex if you come by Uber. Its some distance from the big pyramids, but you’ll be able to start your trip taking in the scope of the Avenue of the Dead.
I highly recommend getting to Teotihuacan around opening time. Its worth the early wake up. While the site is huge to the point that the crowds are spread out, its considerably cooler in the morning than the heat of the day. There’s very little shade at Teotihuacan. Take your hat and sunscreen.
The Avenue of the Dead
The Avenue of the Dead (Calzada de los Muertos) is a pedestrian artery that runs north to south through the middle of Teotihuacan. Extending two kilometres from the base of the Temple of the Moon to the Citadel, the road originally ran at least another kilometre further south. As the city’s main street, the Avenue of the Dead connects the various ruins found throughout the old city, so you’ll spend a fair bit of time wandering along it during your visit. Along the way you’ll come across various vendors selling local handicrafts and wares.
While its mostly flat, as you get closer to the Pyramid of the Moon, the Avenue turns into a succession of six sunken plazas. This conceals the slope of the terrain, creating the perception that you’re still continuing on a flat path until you’re standing in the Plaza of the Moon.
Both sides of the Avenue of the Dead are lined by various monuments and palaces. At one point, a mural depicting a jaguar walking over aquatic motifs can be seen along the eastern side of the Avenue. In Teotihuacan’s heyday, the Avenue of the Dead was the site of religious processions and parades, with impressive scenes carried along the several kilometer long road.
Pyramid of the Sun
The Pyramid of the Sun (Piramide del Sol) is the largest of Teotihuacan’s pyramids, standing around 65 metres tall. It was completed around 240 AD, with the platform in front and surrounding plaza being added later. Made of bricks and earth covered in 2.5 million tonnes of gravel and stone, the Pyramid is impressive to say the least. While it only half the height of the Great Pyramid of Cairo, the size of its base is roughly the same. It would have been even more breathtaking during the era of this epic city, as research has shown that it would originally have been coated with vibrantly coloured stucco.
There’s also a cave system underneath the structure, only discovered in 1971. Archeologists believe the cave was considered a sacred chamber that served as a portal to another world. The cave was modified by the Teotihuacanos to recreate their view of the universe.
You can no longer climb the Pyramid of the Sun (or its counterpart Pyramid of the Moon). This used to be a popular activity for guests to Teotihuacan. These new rules have been put into place to preserve the ruins, so I’m completely okay with that, bringing Teotihuacan into line with many other archeological sites in Mexico. While the view from the top would have been spectacular, standing at its base and looking up is just as awe-inspiring.
Pyramid of the Moon
At only 46 metres in height, the Pyramid of the Moon (Piramide de la Luna) is the smaller of Teotihuacan’s two major pyramids, but you wouldn’t know by looking at it. In actuality, the Pyramid of the Moon is the centrepiece of the site, sitting at the northern end of the Avenue of the Dead and overlooking the rest of the complex. Due to the difference in ground elevation at its base compared to the rest of the site, the Pyramid actually stands just as high as its counterpart.
Believed to have been completed by 450 AD, the Pyramid of the Moon, along with its plaza, was one of the main ritual sites in the city. In particular, it was dedicated to the worship of Chalchiuhtlicue, the goddess of calm waters. A monolith depicting this deity was found at the foot of the Pyramid and can be seen in the National Museum of Anthropology today.
If you approach the Plaza from the south and look towards the Pyramid (on a clear day), you’ll see it blends seamlessly into the peaks of the Cerro Gordo mountain range behind it. Its amazing to think that the creators of the Pyramid would have been able to position the structure with such foresight considering the lack of technology and innovations they would have been working with in their time.
The Quetzalpapalotl Complex
You’ll find the Quetzalpapalotl Complex south west of the Pyramid of the Moon. This set of buildings dates from around 400 to 600 AD and provides the best illustration of the elegance of the palaces that once stood in Teotihuacan. The complex also serves as an example of the practice of Mesoamerican groups to build structures atop of existing palaces, with the Palace of the Quetzal Butterfly sitting atop the remnants of the 2nd and 3rd century Temple of the Feathered Conches.
The Palace of Quetzalpapalotl is named after the bird-buttefly or moth, which is depicted throughout the complex, especially carved into the pillars of its courtyard. This courtyard, excavated in the 1960s, has been partially reconstructed in a style thought to be consistent with the original design of the structure. In the Teotihuacan era, the Palace is thought to have served as a residence of priests or other nobles, with some evidence of ritual baths and sacrificial practices being uncovered. The Quetzal butterfly itself was strongly associated with the night, death and underworld, adding to claims of the site’s significance.
The Citadel & Temple of Quetzalcoatl
While most of the major sites are found at the northern end of the Teotihuacan complex, don’t skip the Citadel. It was one of my favourite areas of the site and contains the most ornately designed pyramid standing in the ruins today. The Citadel itself is a huge quadrangle spanning 400 metres in width and length. Capable of holding up to 100,000 people, the large square hosted religious ceremonies and festivities. It is rimmed by platforms that would have housed residences of priests and military chiefs. Prior to the construction of the Pyramids at the north end of the complex, the Citadel would have been the most sacred part of Teotihuacan (around 200 AD).
The Temple of Quetzacoatl stands at the far side of the Citadel plaza. While its noticeably smaller than the Pyramids of the Sun and Moon, its design is so much more elaborate. The original temple wall, thought to date from 1 to 200 AD is decorated with stone carvings of serpent heads and other figures. The snake represents Quetzalcoatl, the Creation God, while the water god Tlaloc is also frequently depicted. The remains of over 200 men and women were found in pits buried under the temple, suggesting that they were sacrificed during the construction process. Hundreds of thousands of ritualistic objects were also found with them.
To see the original Temple of Quetzalcoatl’s facade, you actually have to climb a series of steps over a second phase of the temple. Thought to have been added between 200 to 450 AD, this outer temple wall is free from decorations. This suggests that the Temple of Quetzalcoatl was subsequently covered around this time to eliminate any correlation with the feathered serpent deity and its associated sacred nature.
The Teotihuacan Site Museum
You should duck into the Teotihuacan Site Museum when you’ve finished exploring the ruins. Its the perfect spot to cool down in the air condition as the morning heats up. The museum isn’t huge, but it contains an impressive collection of objects, carvings, stones and other craftwork excavated from Teotihuacan. Entry is included with your admission to the site, and you’ll find the entrance just south of the Pyramid of the Sun.
While you’ll find a more extensive collection of artefacts at the National Museum of Anthropology (an essential stop on any Mexico City itinerary, and one of the best museums I’ve ever been to), if you spend a bit of time in this much smaller museum, you’re bound to find some treasures of interest to you. I particularly enjoyed looking at the preserved depictions of the deities and learning how to identify them from one another. The highlight of the museum though has to be the gigantic model of the site which you can walk across on a glass floor, all while the actual Pyramid of the Sun stands outside the window.
Where to Eat at Teotihuacan
You’ll probably be hungry after spending a morning hiking around the massive Teotihuacan site. When its time to eat I recommend leaving the archeological complex and heading to a nearby restaurant, La Gruta. Its only a 5 minute walk from the exit by the Site Museum (making it the perfect place to end your Teotihuacan tour). La Gruta serves deliciously authentic Mexican cuisine (I highly recommend the Mexican platter, which will send your tastebuds into a frenzy). What makes it even cooler (literally), is that its housed inside a cave! Open from 8.00am to 7.00pm daily, its a wonderful choice to end your Teotihuacan trip before heading back to Mexico City!
Teotihuacan is breathtaking, fascinating and unforgettable all at the same time. I remember my first glimpse of the Pyramid of the Moon from the far end of the Avenue of the Dead, and its an image in my mind that I’ll not forget any time soon. I really recommend you spend a few hours exploring the remains of this ancient city when you visit Mexico City.