Historic and enormous, these are these pre-Hispanic buildings that impress with their size
Mexico saw many pre-Hispanic cultures flourish. Its archaeological zones, distributed throughout the country, are a testimony of its existence and genius.
There is no doubt, our ancestors were great builders and artists. Visiting its cities, palaces and temples always provides an experience of amazement.
It must be clarified that in Mexico there are no pyramids as such (although they are popularly named that way), since they end in a point. The structures of our country are pyramidal bases, a series of stepped bodies that, for the most part, have one or more temples in their highest part.
Understanding this, let’s take a tour to find out which are the 5 tallest ‘pyramids’ in Mexico.
Pyramid of the Moon, Teotihuacán
We begin this top 5 one hour away from CDMX, in the State of Mexico, in the archaeological zone of Teotihuacán, a city built between the 1st and 3rd centuries AD. It was an important religious and population center, housing up to 100,000 people at its peak. It was listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO since 1997.
One of its most recognizable structures is the Pyramid of the Moon, in the far north. It measures 45 meters high and was dedicated to the goddess of life, related to water and the Moon.
It is said that its shape can emulate Cerro Gordo (close to the sacred city) and, something more curious, is that some archaeologists claim that underneath there is a system of caves and artificial passageways that imitate the Teotihuacan underworld.
Structure II, Calakmul
Now we are going to Campeche, within the gigantic Calakmul Biosphere Reserve, which together with the ancient Mayan city of Calakmul were inscribed as a mixed (natural and cultural) asset of the UNESCO World Heritage.
In the middle of the thick jungle, between 250 B.C. and 700 AD. The Mayans built one of the most important cities in the region in pre-Columbian times, of which more than 6,000 structures survive today, highlighting Structure II, with its 55 meters high, which is said to resemble a mountain and which housed up to 9 tombs. of kings and high-ranking priests.
It was the main construction of Calakmul and measured approximately 60 meters high. Today, you can see its front part, a large staircase and a substructure at the top. The rest is covered with thick vegetation.
Pyramid of the Sun, Teotihuacan
We return to the Valley of Mexico and the sacred city of Teotihuacán, which wins the bronze medal in this top 5, thanks to the Pyramid of the Sun, the largest structure in the city, built during the first century of our era.
It measures 65 meters high, although it is said that in its heyday it could have been higher, as it had a temple at the top. Like the Pyramid of the Moon, the Pyramid of the Sun has a tunnel, of which it is still unknown why they did it.
Great Pyramid of Cholula, Puebla
The money goes to the magical town of Cholula, in Puebla. Many people may be confused at this point, since the Cholultecan ‘Great Pyramid’ is the largest in the world in terms of its base, 450 meters wide, but in this case we are measuring the height.
Although the Cholulteca culture inhabited the area approximately 7 centuries before our era, this building began to be built in the 2nd century BC. It was done in different stages. When the Spanish arrived, it was already abandoned and looked like a hill. Years later, Father Fray Toribio de Benavente discovered that it was a teocalli or a pyramidal structure crowned by a temple.
It measures 66 meters high. In 1594, the Sanctuary of the Virgen de los Remedios was built on its summit, an example of evangelization in colonial times and religious syncretism.
Toniná Pyramid, Chiapas
We return to the Mayan jungle, but now to the Ocosingo Valley, in Chiapas.
Toniná flourished in our era, from the year 600 to 900, times in which it challenged Palenque and built a great acropolis, where the highest pyramidal base in the country is located.
It is gigantic, approximately 320 meters wide and 74 meters high. It is made up of 7 large platforms that resemble the mountains of the region (sacred to the Mayans). It was occupied to honor and revere the gods of the Sun, the Moon, Venus and the Earth.
Various temples, palaces and housing units were built on its platforms, the ruins of which can be seen today.
Source: eluniversal
