Mexican pyramids on the map. Teotihuacan - the ancient city of the Gods

One of the objects of intense interest in archaeoastronomy is located 60 km northeast of Mexico City. This is the archaeological site of Teotihuacan, one of the modern wonders of the world.

Teotihuacan is the name given to the abandoned city by the Aztecs, who came here in the 12th century A.D. From the ancient Nahuatl language, in which they spoke, it translates as "The place where man turns into a god", "The place where gods are made", "The abode of those who know the way to the gods" or "The place where the gods dwell."

The Aztecs migrated to the Valley of Mexico City from the north in search of "Land where there is no evil" and did not know who built this city, but were quite impressed by the size of the vegetated pyramids. Since then, the legend has survived that Teotihuacan was built by giants - kiname. According to modern views, before the Aztecs, there was an original culture here, which, for lack of a better, is called Teotihuacan. Its prosperity probably ended around 700 AD. the warlike tribes of the Toltecs. At the present time, there is no reliable dating of this monument. Some scholars date its foundation to 100 BC, others to the period between 1000 and 1500 BC. Still others, relying on data from geological studies, talk about the time about 4000 BC, before the eruption of Mount Heatley, located nearby. During its heyday, Teotihuacan occupied an area of ​​about 30 km2. It consisted of about 50,000 houses in two thousand villages, 600 large and smaller pyramids and temples, several hundred craft districts. The population, according to modern archaeologists' estimates, was about 200,000 - more than in Rome during the time of Julius Caesar or in London during the time of Shakespeare. In order to carry out a rectangular grid layout of the city with strictly parallel and perpendicular streets, the river bed was changed here with the help of a bypass canal. But the world fame and aura of mystery in our time brought Teotihuacan a huge complex of pyramids, which is often compared to the pyramids on the Giza plateau in Egypt.

Two wide streets intersecting at right angles formed the center, in which 18 pyramids are concentrated. In the plan, the entire complex is built along one of them - a "boulevard" 40–45 meters wide and about 5 kilometers long, which the Aztecs called Mishcoatli - "Road of the Dead". There are many reasons to believe that it was once a system of communicating ponds with the necessary locks and other hydraulic mechanisms. This "boulevard", running from the southwest to the northeast, begins at the so-called Citadel with the pyramid of Quetzalcoatl enclosed in it and leads to the pyramid of the Moon. Its level at the end is 27 meters higher than at the beginning, near the Citadel. A little to the east of it, exactly on the same line with the Citadel, is the highest pyramid in America - the Pyramid of the Sun. Of course, these are not the original names of the pyramids, they were also given by the Aztecs, who were amazed at their beauty and greatness. Oddly enough, the Road of the Dead is not oriented, say, strictly along the north-south or west-east axis. It deviates from the north direction by 15 ° 30 'east. Many hypotheses, mainly of an astronomical nature, have been put forward about the reasons for this peculiar orientation. Professor Gerald Hawkins suggested that this orientation is related to the Sirius-Pleiades axis.

Another, more convincing hypothesis was put forward by Stansberg Hagar, Academic Secretary of the Brooklyn Institute of Arts and Sciences. He suggested that the "Road of the Dead" reflects the Milky Way on earth - the "view from the inside" of our own Galaxy. He also suggested that the numerous pyramids, mounds and other structures located on the sides of this kind of "boulevard" personify specific planets and stars.

In the 60s and 70s, this assumption was tested by Harleston Hugh. As a result of the conducted mathematical research, it turned out that Teotihuacan was conceived as a kind of scaled model Solar system... If we assume that the Sun is located on the axis of the Quetzalcoatl pyramid, then the distances from it to other pyramids and mounds are proportional to the radii of the planetary orbits: the so-called pyramid of the Sun corresponds to Saturn, the pyramid of the Moon to Uranus, and the unexplored mounds in the north to Neptune and Pluto. Note that Uranus, Neptune and Pluto are the most distant planets from the Sun, our civilization discovered only in 1787, 1846 and 1930, respectively ...

The pyramid complexes at Teotihuacan have a number of unexplained parallels with the pyramids on the Giza plateau. First, they are positioned in the same way in the plan (that is, when viewed from above). The pyramid of the Moon corresponds then to the Great Pyramid (the so-called pyramid of Cheops), the pyramid of the Sun to the pyramid of Khafre, and the Citadel to the so-called pyramid of Mikerin. And both complexes reflect the location in the sky of three bright stars from Orion's belt. Secondly, in both complexes, the tops of the two largest pyramids (the pyramids of the Sun and the Moon in the Valley of Mexico City and the pyramids of Cheops and Khafre in Egypt) are at the same level, although their heights are different. Thirdly, as far as the reconstruction of the size of the pyramids can be judged (since both there, and there, the buildings were severely damaged by the barbaric attitude already in historical time), in both cases the highest pyramid of the complex in its proportions expresses the number? through the ratio of the height and perimeter of its base. In both cases, the figure of a vertical circle and a horizontal square suggests certain thoughts about the mysterious "squaring the circle". Especially if you remember that the circle traditionally symbolized the sky, and the square - the earth ...

Pyramid of the moon

Pyramids of Teotiukan
In one of the ancient cities of Mexico - Teotihuacan, located 50 km from Mexico City, the most majestic pyramids of astecs - the pyramids of the Sun and the Moon - have been preserved.

Teotihuacan originated around 300 BC. NS. in a fertile and strategically advantageous valley, next to a sacred cave, inside which there was a source of "virgin water" and the burial of a certain ancestor. The clear development of the settlement testifies to the existence of its general plan, which has not been violated throughout the thousand-year history of the city's existence. Teotihuacan reached its highest prosperity in 200-600. n. NS. At that time, its area was already about 20 km2, and the population was more than 100 gys. human. Apart from palaces, administrative center, market and over 2 thousand residential complexes in the city there were several religious buildings. The main ones towered along the four-kilometer Road of the Dead, which ran from south to north, first through the “profane” part of the city, and then through the “sacred” part of the city, located on a certain elevation, and seemed to rush up to the sky.

The Pyramid of the Sun - the key building of the city - is located approximately in the center of Teotihuacan, east of the Road of the Dead. A wide staircase leads to the temple that stood at the top of the pyramid, laid along its western slope. Here, right under the pyramid, lies a natural cave, oriented from west to east. After entering it, you can go down the tunnel, which expands in the center, forming a small chamber.

When amateur archaeological work began in Teotihuacan in the 17th century, the city lay in ruins. It is not surprising that the researchers considered the discovered pyramids to be only separate structures - like the Egyptian ones. Only in the 19th century. it turned out: there was once a large city here.

The directions of the tunnel and the main staircase of the pyramid coincide, thereby creating a kind of mirror-reflected space: the path to the sun and the path underground. This embodied the idea of ​​the duality of the world, day and night, life and death.
The cave under the pyramid, apparently, had an exclusively sacred significance, and therefore access to it was closed already in the middle of the 5th century, during the heyday of Teotihuacan. In the central chamber, walled up earlier than the others, only broken ceramic vessels and painted discs with anthropomorphic figures (they date back to 150-250) have survived, since it was plundered in antiquity.

The seven-meter-deep well entrance remained littered with stones until the 70s. XX century, they discovered it by accident - by pulling from the ground. When the well was cleared, it turned out that there is a dilapidated staircase in it, cut right into the ground. It leads to the base of the well, from where a 103-meter tunnel begins, heading towards the very center of the pyramid. Throughout its length, it lies almost at the same level, slightly lowering towards the center. Natural cave turned out to be modified - in some places the winding tunnel was slightly leveled to human height, the walls were smoothed, the floor was lined, the natural shape of the chamber was improved. Archaeologists have found here the remains of about 30 ceilings that gradually walled up the cave. In plan, it is similar to a flower with four petals (the fifth one coincides with the leg) and two symmetrical leaves on the stem. In the form of flower petals in the ancient Mexican codes, the ancestral cave was usually depicted. Obviously, the central cave, located at a depth of 70 meters and about 100 meters from the entrance, was used for ceremonies no less (and possibly more) important than those that took place at the top of the pyramid.

Like most of the Amer and Kan pyramids, the Teotihuacan ones were built by the gradual erection of an earth embankment and the subsequent strengthening and facing with stone blocks. Then the walls were covered with plaster and decorated.

Unlike the cave, where something was repeatedly rebuilt and completed, the pyramids of the Sun did not change. It has almost retained its original appearance. Only the temple, which in ancient times, apparently stood on a flat area, has been lost. He probably embodied the exit from the underworld.

Teotihuacan, or the Abode of the Gods, the city was named by the Astecs. It was considered an outpost of Mesoamerican civilization, as it held back the invasions of warlike northern barbarians for a long time. Among them, in particular, were the successful Toltecs, who declared themselves the heirs of Teotihuacan.

Everything that can be seen in the cave under the pyramid of the Sun is somewhat reminiscent of the Nahua myths about the destroyed "Suns" and the origin of people. They talk about a certain goddess Chimalma - "the mother of nations" and the goddess Ishtakchulchitlikue, who lived in a cave and was preparing for childbirth. One morning the Sun shot an arrow from the sky, it hit the house of mirrors, and then a man and a woman were born from a hole in the stone.

The earliest temples were ordinary huts, but only located at the top of the pyramid. Moreover, the same materials were used for construction: reed sticks for the walls, palm leaves for the roof. After that, temples appeared with adobe and stone walls and the former palm roofs, and even later - complex stone structures, the pinnacle of Drevneind Eisky architecture.

The entire cave-pyramidal structure also carried a certain astronomical meaning, reflecting the ideas of the Theotiucanians about a model of the world tied to the cycles of human life. F.cnn to watch the sun from the city center, standing in the middle of the Road of the Dead, it was possible to see how the daylight, awakening all living things, rose from behind the temple on the pyramid. Then it reached the zenith, which was established by the absence of shadows in the well of the cave, and, shifted to the west, as if hiding in a tunnel under the pyramid. On the horizon, the sun cast its last blood-red rays on the most high point cities - a temple on the pyramid of the Sun and disappeared, giving way to darkness ...

Climbing the pyramid of the Sun required a certain amount of physical preparation: this gra structure with a volume of 840 m 3 reaches a height of 64 meters. The sides of the base are 207, 217 and 209 m. It is difficult to suppose that the ancient builders made a mistake when slaying; side lengths. Most likely, behind this "deviation" lies some kind of calculation, the logic is not yet known to us. In the temple at the top of the pyramid of the Sun, the rituals themselves were once held - the ignition of a new fire at the end of the calendar cycle (it was then carried around in pits, which symbolized the beginning of a new life), rituals associated with the confirmation of the rulers. In addition, many regular holidays were held here - ex renovation of the temple, when it was re-painted and painted, etc.

The Pyramid of the Moon completed the Road of the Dead in the north. Located to the left of the Pyramid of the Sun, it was an almost exact (in proportion) copy of it, but reduced by exactly one third. The height of the pyramid of the Moon is 42 m, the size of the base is 150 x 13O m, the volume is 210 m 3. A tunnel was also found inside this structure. From the southern end of the city, the pyramid of the Moon appears in the background large volcano from mountain range Cerro Gordo, which makes it even more majestic. However, as you approach the pyramid along the Road of the Dead leading upward, it illusoryly increases in size and obscures Mountain landscape, and the staircase on its slope becomes, as it were, the reliefs of Teotihuacan. continuation of the Road of the Dead. In addition, due to the features of the relief, the tops of both pyramids are practically at the same level.

Everything that happened in the caves under the pyramids was somehow related to the world of the dead. Perhaps the most characteristic was the ritual of extracting living blood, which was considered the receptacle of the soul and was associated with divine ancestors. Psychedelics were also used to contact them, to obtain divinations and prophecies.

The names of the pyramids of Theotihuacan are not invented by archaeologists, but have come down to us from ancient legends, and therefore there is no reason to doubt that the temples that stood on the pyramids were dedicated to the god of the sun and the goddess of the moon. The surviving names do not contradict the astronomical purpose of these structures.

Step pyramids are an important part of the architecture of the peoples who once inhabited the territory of Mexico. The pyramids of Teotihuacan, Chichen Itza, Uxmal are the most popular among tourists. They usually come to mind when mentioning the Mexican pyramids. But there are much more ancient pyramidal structures on the territory of this country. Different peoples were involved in their creation at different times, and, of course, they all differ from each other.

El Tahin originated during the heyday of the pre-Columbian culture of Veracruz on the Gulf Coast near the present city of Poza Rica. On an area of ​​more than a thousand hectares, there are multi-tiered pyramids, ball courts, statues depicting gods, dwellings of priests and Indian leaders. The heyday of the City of Thunder, as its name is translated from the Totonac language, fell on the IX-XII centuries. Then he occupied an area of ​​more than 10 square kilometers, and its population was several thousand people.

In the center of the city there is a palace and temple complex, most of whose buildings were erected in the period from 600 to 900 AD. NS. The El-Takhin pyramid or the Nish pyramid is dedicated to the supreme god of thunder, Takhin, the patron saint of rain. The seven-tiered structure, which reaches 25 m in height, is decorated with deep niches running along the ledges.

At the base of the pyramid is a square with a side of 35 meters. All seven tiers of the pyramid have square niches, painted red from the inside and decorated with reliefs depicting snakes. There are 365 such niches. On the eastern slope there is a staircase decorated with mosaics and numbering 364 steps.

The city was destroyed at the beginning of the 13th century. The fire, as scientists assume, forced the inhabitants of the city to leave it. Until the end of the eighteenth century, Europeans did not know about the existence of El Tahin. Only in 1875 was the Nis pyramid accidentally discovered.

2 Tula

Tula - ancient capital Toltecs, one of the main pre-Columbian cultures of Mesoamerica. It is usually identified with the mythical city of Tollan. Tula is located 65 km northwest of Mexico City on the banks of the river of the same name.

The most famous of the surviving structures is the Pyramid of the Morning Star, on the platform of which there is a group of five-meter stone sculptures of warriors who once supported the roof of the temple. There are large statues of snakes at the entrance.

In the XIII century, Tula was destroyed. The huge figures of warriors at the foot of the pyramid were ritually buried and thanks to this they have survived to this day.

3 Tsintsuntzan

The city of Tsintsuntsan was founded by the Purépecha people in the 13th century. In the same century, it became the capital of the state known among historians as Tarasco. The area of ​​the city was about 7 km². Ancient Tsintsuntzan is located on a slope, slightly higher than the modern city.

The ritual construction of the Purepecha people was a platform consisting of 10 steps (total height 13 m). Five burial pyramids with 12 steps stood on the platform.

The Spanish, who arrived in Tsintsuntzan in 1529, burned the ruler Tangahuan II alive and destroyed the city in order to use its stones to build Catholic cathedrals and houses for the Spanish administration. But the pyramids have been partially preserved.

4 Teotihuacan

Teotihuacan is an abandoned city located 50 kilometers northeast of Mexico City in the municipality of San Juan Teotihuacan. The Pyramids of Teotihuacan are among the most famous Mexican pyramids. They are often called the pyramids of the Aztecs, although they are not.

Very little is known about Teotihuacan. It was abandoned 700 years before the Aztecs appeared there in the 15th century and gave it this name. The first settlements were founded in these places in the 5th century BC, and in the 5th century AD Teotihuacan was the largest city in Central America. Modern researchers believe that the area of ​​this ancient settlement was 26-28 square meters. km, and the population is about 200 thousand people.

One of the main and oldest buildings in Teotihuacan is the Pyramid of the Sun and the Pyramid of the Moon. The Pyramid of the Sun is the largest building in the city of Teotihuacan and one of the largest in Mesoamerica. It is located on the Road of the Dead between the Pyramid of the Moon and the Citadel in the shadow of the massive Cerro Gordo mountain and is part of a large temple complex.

The pyramid is a 5-tiered structure with a flat top, on which a small temple once stood. The height of the pyramid is almost 64.5 meters, the length of the sides of the base is 211, 207, 217 and 209 meters, the total volume is 993 thousand cubic meters. The Pyramid of the Sun is made of cobblestone, clay and earth, faced with stone. The orientation of the pyramid is likely to have some anthropogolic significance. It is oriented with a slope to the northwest towards the point of sunset on the horizon, when twice a year - August 12 and April 29 - the calendar year of the Teotihuacans was predetermined.

At the northern end of the Road of the Dead is the Pyramid of the Moon - an almost exact copy of the Pyramid of the Sun, reduced by a third. Its height is 42 m, the base is -150 x 130 m. But due to the peculiarities of the relief, the tops of the pyramids are located at the same level.

5 Xochicalco

Xochicalco is an ancient pre-Columbian settlement in the western part of the Mexican state of Morelos, located 25 km south of the city of Cuernavaca and 85 km south of Mexico City.

The main ceremonial center and residential buildings (most of which have not been excavated) are located on long terraces on the slopes of an artificially leveled hill. The settlement was first founded in 200 BC. BC, but developed into an urban center only by the period 700 - 900 AD. NS. Almost all of the surviving buildings were built during this period.

The territory of the settlement now houses the Temple of the Feathered Serpent, temples in the form of terraced pyramids, palaces, three ball courts, twin rooms, an unusual row of round altars and a cave with carved steps.

6 Cholula

Cholula is a city located in the Mexican state of Puebla. Cholula is home to the Toltec pyramid, also known as Tlachihualtepetl. It is the largest pyramid in terms of volume in Mexico, and in the world in general. Its base is 440 m long and 77 m high.

The ancient pyramid is hidden under a layer of clay, making it look more like a natural mountain than an ancient place of worship. On top of this hill, the Spaniards built the Church of the Blessed Virgin of the Comforter.

Most of the Choluli pyramid is built of adobe bricks. However, at the beginning of the 20th century, archaeologists excavated and restored one side of the pyramid, which is lined with stone. Moreover, there are often inserts made of well-worked granite blocks with ornaments applied to them. Also, archaeologists have discovered tunnels piercing the pyramid in various planes. Some of them are open to visitors.

7 Monte Alban

Monte Alban is a large pre-Columbian settlement in southeastern Mexico, in the state of Oaxaca. It is located on a low ridge in the central part of the Oaxaca Valley.

The founding of Monte Alban dates back to around the 4th century BC. NS. At the time of its heyday (200-700 AD), the city occupied an area of ​​40 square meters. km, and its population exceeded 20 thousand people. On the artificially leveled gigantic square at the top of the hill, stepped pyramids still rise today. Remains of palaces, steles with inscriptions, a stone staircase 40 m wide and other structures have been preserved on the slopes descending into terraces. The walls of the buildings were decorated with mosaics, frescoes, and reliefs.

The main god of the locals was the rain god Kosiho. It was dedicated to him main pyramid city, crowning the top of the hill.

8 Palenque

Palenque is the largest ruins of the ancient Mayan city, located in the northeast of the Mexican state of Chiapas. More than a thousand buildings have been discovered here, only a part of them has been studied and restored in detail.

The city was named after Palenque by the Spaniards, during the Mayan times it was called Lakam-ha - "Big Water". Having arisen around 100 A.D. BC, the settlement reached its heyday during the period from 630 to 740 years. After 900, Palenque became empty. The surrounding area is known for the highest rainfall in Mexico, thanks to which the city gradually disappeared behind dense tropical thickets and fell into oblivion until 1746, when the Spaniards discovered it.

In the center of the settlement, on a ten-meter platform, there is a palace that served as a residence for local rulers. This is a majestic building with an area of ​​104 × 80 m, consisting of galleries, stairs, intricate labyrinths of underground passages and many rooms with exits to four courtyards.

To the southeast of the palace is the Palenque Triad, which includes the Temple of the Sun, the Temple of the Cross, and the Temple of the Deciduous Cross. All these names are given to religious buildings, thanks to the motives prevailing in the painting of their walls and altars.

Also in close proximity to the palace is the Temple of the Inscriptions. This is the tallest building in the complex, the height of its pyramid is 23 m, and in order to get to its top, you need to climb 69 steps.

9 Comalcalco

Komalkalko - former town Mayan civilization, located about 60 km northeast of the city of Villahermosa in the Mexican state of Tabasco.

Comalcalco is the westernmost of the Mayan temples. Due to the lack of limestone, buildings in this city were built of baked bricks, which were fastened with a lime mortar from crushed oyster shells.

Buildings mainly belong to the late classical period, 700-900 years. n. NS. Many bricks are decorated with images. The most famous buildings are the northern square, the Great Acropolis and the Eastern Acropolis pyramids.

10 Calakmul

Calakmul - in the past, the mighty Mayan city, the capital of the Kanul kingdom. Located in the Mexican state of Campeche, deep in the jungle of the Peten Basin region. The heyday of Calakmul falls between 200 and 700 AD. NS.

In 1931, Calakmul was discovered by the American Cyrus Landell. Calakmul occupied an area of ​​approximately 30 km² and consisted of more than 100 large buildings, and there were about 5000 buildings in total. Among the buildings are dominated by two pyramids, which are usually called "Structure I" and "Structure II" with a height of 45 m. great pyramid has a side length of 140 m.

11 Etzna

Etzna is an archaeological site of the Mayan culture in the north of the Mexican state of Campeche. The city was inhabited as early as 400 BC. BC, and was abandoned around 1500 AD. NS. In the late classical period, Etzna was part of the state of Calakmul. The city was discovered at the beginning of the 20th century.

The classical period of the existence of Etzna fell, as elsewhere in the Yucatan, in 600-900 AD. It was then that the most significant architectural monuments this city. Among them - main temple, standing on a pyramidal base forty meters high.

The city stood in a swamp. The Indians did a tremendous job of draining the area, building a complex and extensive system of canals and reservoirs.

12 Uxmal

Uxmal is a large Mayan city in the northwest of the Yucatan Peninsula, 68 km south of the city Merida.

Uxmal was inhabited in the 8th century BC. BC, at the peak of power (about 800-900 AD) had about 25,000 inhabitants. It was during this period that most of the surviving monuments were built. But prosperity did not last long. When, at the turn of the 10-11 centuries, the Toltecs took control of the Yucatan Peninsula, construction in Uxmal stopped, the city began to decline. And shortly before the arrival of the Spanish conquistadors, it was finally abandoned.

The Pyramid of the Magician is the highest monument (35 m) and the main attraction of the Uxmal archaeological complex. It is also called the Gnome Pyramid. Both names come from the legend of the magical dwarf. Hatching from an egg, he became an adult in one day and built this pyramid in one night. In fact, archaeological excavations show that the Pyramid of the Magician was erected as a result of five stages of construction on top of previously built pyramids. Starting in the 6th century, it regularly increased in height until the 10th century.

13 Chichen Itza

Chichen Itza - political and Cultural Center Maya in the north of the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico. Located 120 km east of the city of Merida.

The city of Chichen Itza was probably founded around 455. It can be roughly divided into two groups. The first includes buildings dating from the 6th-7th centuries. n. NS. and related to the Mayan period. The second group of buildings belongs to the Toltec period of the X-XI centuries. n. NS.

The city was captured by the Toltecs in the 10th century. In the middle of the 11th century, Chichen Itza became the capital of the Toltec state. In 1178 it was defeated by the united army of three city-states - Mayapan, Uxmal and Itzmal. By the time of the Spanish conquests, Chichen Itza was in ruins.

El Castillo (aka the pyramid of Kukulkan) was the main building of the city. A pyramid with a square base has nine steps. Four staircases, bordered with a balustrade, lead to the top, which begin on the ground floor in the form of a slightly raised snake head and continue their way like a snake body to the upper floor. Each staircase consists of 91 steps, and if the number of steps is multiplied by the number of stairs, then 364 steps are obtained, and the 365th step of the top of the pyramid symbolizes the last day of the past year. At the top there is a temple, the entrance to which, decorated with columns in the form of serpentine bodies, is located on the north side.

To the east of El Castillo is another famous building of Chichen Itza: the Temple of the Warriors. It consists of four platforms, surrounded on three sides by round and square columns. The square columns are carved in the shape of the Toltec warriors. During the restoration, some of the columns were restored and put in their original place. At the top of the Temple of Warriors there is a sculpture of Chaak-Mool in the form of a reclining man.

The observatory is another famous landmark of Chichen Itza. The Spanish word El Caracol means "spiral staircase" (it is located inside). Through the holes in the walls of the tower, Mayan astronomers observed the movements of the movement of Venus, the Sun, the Moon and other celestial bodies, calculated the spring and autumn days equinox, the day of the summer solstice. Maya astronomical skills even helped predict solar eclipses.

In the burial pit of one of the pyramids of Teotihuacan, researchers found the remains of twelve people. Their hands were tied behind their backs, ten of them were beheaded by the priests and casually thrown in the cell (perhaps they were the enemies of the city). The remaining two were treated with respect: they were seated near the wall, while wearing necklaces, jade jewelry and other signs that speak of their high position. Why exactly they died, history is silent.

Teotihuacan is located in Mexico, 50 km from the capital of Mexico City in a northeastern direction, on the territory of the municipality of San Juan Teotihuacan (on the map this city is located according to the following coordinates: 19 ° 41 ′ 30.01 ″ N, 98 ° 50 ′ 30.01 ″ W).

Archaeologists now consider Teotihuacan to be the first big city both South and North America: it was founded about two thousand years ago, its area occupied 28 km2, and on its territory lived from 100 to 200 thousand inhabitants. The original name of the settlement is unknown, but the modern name was given to it by the Aztecs, interpreting it as “the place where the gods touch the earth” - when they discovered the city, they were so impressed by the immensity of the structures, and decided that it was built by the gods or at least giants.

Teotihuacan appeared several centuries before our era, and its heyday falls on the II-VI century. n. NS. After the eruption of the Chitle volcano, the inhabitants of Cuicuilco, the most ancient city of the Mexico Valley, left it and moved to Teotihuacan, thereby significantly increasing the settlement located there (one of the most mysterious facts from the life of this city is that what exactly was the name of the people living here, the scientist established failed).

Teotihuacan almost immediately became a regional center and began to exert a huge cultural influence on the entire region of Mesoamerica (the territory from the center of Mexico to Nicaragua) - merchants came here, agreements were made, they came in search of work and worship deities.

Throughout its existence, Teotihuacan was ruled by harsh rulers, and the priests performed not only religious rituals, but also closely followed the life of the inhabitants of the city, exerting a very strong influence on their worldview and consciousness. Therefore, it is not surprising that all locals were deeply religious people: archaeologists have found altars even in the poorest houses of its inhabitants. The main deity was a god with a snake body covered with bird feathers - Quetzalcoatl.

On religious holidays, almost all residents of nearby villages left their homes to take part in the festivities and rituals that would contribute to the prosperity of the city and the valley. The pyramids of Teotihuacan played an important role in these rites: it was on their tops that the priests performed religious ceremonies.

What the City of the Gods looked like

The builders of Teotihuacan adhered to a very clear plan during the construction of the city: a highway paved with volcanic stone called the Road of Death, which was more than five kilometers long and about forty meters wide, went from south to north and crossed central square, where there were administrative buildings and several religious buildings.

The name of the street was given by the Aztecs because of the buildings along it, which are extremely reminiscent of sacrificial altars, in fact, turned out to be the houses of local residents.

Side streets adjoined it at absolutely right angles, on which both ordinary townspeople and representatives of the local nobility lived. Ordinary residents lived in clay one-story houses, where there were no windows at all, so light and air entered the room only through the doors that opened onto the courtyard.

The houses of the aristocrats were two-story, spacious and very beautiful. So, not far from the center of the city of Teotihuacan were the palaces of Tetitla and Atetelco. They are notable for the fact that the frescoes that adorned buildings in ancient times are extremely well preserved: more than 120 walls of Tetitla are decorated with drawings depicting the god of rain and thunder Tlaloc, and Atetelko's frescoes depict jaguars and coyotes.

At the very beginning of the city of Teotihuacan, the Citadel was located - a huge area that could accommodate about one hundred thousand people, along the perimeter of which there were fifteen small pyramids. In the center of the square is the Temple of Quetzalcoatl, the only pyramid in the city with bas-reliefs carved on it. From the citadel along the Death Road one could get to one of the most interesting pyramids of Mexico, the pyramid of the Sun and the Moon.

Pyramid of the sun

The Pyramid of the Sun in Teotihuacan was located near the Cerro Gordo mountain, on the right side of the Death Road, if you go from the Citadel. Currently, it is considered one of the largest pyramids in the world: its height is about 65 meters, and the base is only seven meters shorter than the base of the largest pyramid in the world and is 210 meters on each side. According to this indicator, the pyramid of the Sun is the third on the planet, second only to the tomb of Cheops and the Great Pyramid of Cholulu.

The Pyramid of the Sun was built around 150 AD. and was a five-tier structure, on top of which a temple was located (248 steps could be climbed to it).

The construction of the pyramid took about 2.5 million bricks, a huge amount of clay and earth, and a stone was used as an external decoration, according to one version - red (this color was extremely popular among the local population).

The pyramid of the Sun is not oriented strictly to the cardinal points, but makes a small turn to the north-west, turning to the place of sunset on August 12 and April 29 (it is August 12 that is considered the first day of the Mayan calendar).

Exploring the structure, scientists were able to find interesting fact: The Pyramid of the Sun was built over the cave, which was located at a depth of about six meters, and its width was about one hundred meters (apparently, before this structure was erected here, the inhabitants of the city used the area for conducting religious rituals).

At first, the researchers decided that the found cave was of natural origin, but more recently, based on data archaeological site, are inclined to think that it was built by people and was the tomb of local rulers.

Pyramid of the moon

At the end of the Death Road is the Pyramid of the Moon. The highway smoothly turns into steps leading to its upper platform, where ritual ceremonies were performed in honor of the Goddess of the Moon Chalchiuhtlicue. It is interesting that with its contours the pyramid of the Moon repeats the nearby Cerro Gordo mountain, which some Indians called "Protective stone", others - "Mother".

Despite the fact that the height of the structure is inferior to the pyramid of the Sun and is 42 m, visually in size it is in no way inferior to it.

In the burial pit, researchers found human remains with tied hands, skeletons of animals and birds (coyotes, eagles, jaguars). For what exactly they were sacrificed and left here, it is not known exactly. Archaeologists draw attention to the fact that human sacrifices were unambiguously performed during the reconstruction of the pyramid, and animals were the totems of the dead soldiers.

Death of the city

One of the most intriguing mysteries of the City of the Gods is the question of why the inhabitants left Teotihuacan during its heyday - in the 7th century. AD Many researchers are convinced that the inhabitants left it during the day, taking all their belongings.

An interesting fact is that the city was completely destroyed: all the places in which the secret ritual gifts and tombs were located were plundered, and the sacred statues were mutilated and broken. Scientists put forward basically three hypotheses of what happened: the invasion of enemy tribes or the uprising of the poor strata of society (but against this theory, it says that no traces of violence against people in the city were found).

There is also a hypothesis that Teotihuacan was the victim of an epidemic that, like a plague, completely decimated the city. But this version also does not stand up to criticism, since no human remains and other evidence of the presence of a merciless disease were found.

In this article, you will learn:

• what pyramids have we seen in six months
• which ones impressed us the most
• where you should definitely go, and what you can miss

The pyramids are always
were present in life
Mexico, and in the time of Cortez,
and later - but were present
silently: it was overgrown
grass and bushes hills.

Earth. Chronicles of Life.
« What are the pyramids of Mexico silent about?»

Not everyone has seen them, but everyone has heard of them. Not everyone knows when and by whom they were built, but many are attracted by their riddles and history. Famous mexican pyramids... Perhaps, the first image of which pops up before the eyes at the word "Mexico". Is that tequila, cacti and the Caribbean Sea can be at least some kind of competition.

So, the pyramids of Mexico - business card countries and our TOP-5 rating of Sheboldasik and Andryusiks. It is difficult to award seats when all candidates are good! Each of the complexes has its own unique individuality, despite the external resemblance to others. Although, I confess honestly, for non-connoisseurs after the fifth complex, the pyramids will seem to be almost the same))

What kind of pyramids in Mexico did we manage to see, and which ones did we like more than others? With the understanding that everything in the world is subjective, let's start drawing up a simple rating.

5th place: Tulum pyramids

Tulum is the place where two of the main Mexican landmarks - the Caribbean Sea and the Mayan heritage - have merged. Believe me, this cannot leave you indifferent! The calm and sedate ruins are framed by a wayward sea - a view worthy of the artist's brush. Although someone might argue that the place is completely pop and, moreover, overcrowded with tourists. But! If you get into the complex early in the morning, it is quite possible to feel its energy and understand all the charm of the place chosen by the Indians.

That is why, despite the small scale, the abundance of tourists and the stretched ropes that do not allow touching the ancient stones, the ruins of Tulum attracted me and Andryusiks and took the honorable fifth place in our hit parade.

4th place: pyramids in Etzna

The archaeological complex of Etzna, which is not far from the pirate town of Campeche, turned out to be the quietest pyramid place that we have been able to visit. For half a day of leisurely walks, Andriusiks and I met only a few people. Perhaps this is partly why Etzna seemed very atmospheric and mysterious. Silence, peace, the majestic Mayan pyramids, and iguanas warmed up on the stones - a set for which you should go to this complex. It is best to do this early in the morning, then not only privacy, but also morning coolness is guaranteed.

3rd place: Palenque pyramids

Do you think that all the pyramids are just stones and the scorching sun? Then here are the Palenque pyramids. They are considered some of the most attractive in Mexico. Why? Because it is here that you will find the most interesting bas-reliefs, patterns, hieroglyphic inscriptions, unusual shapes, and all this in the middle of a luscious jungle. Another plexus of natural and man-made. Among other things, curious tourists will find secret paths in Palenque, rapid waterfalls, original and not so much souvenirs and many other interesting things.

2nd place: pyramids of Monte Alban

Monte Alban is our love and nothing can be done about it! Love is always irrational. It seems to be not the largest complex, and not the most original, but hooked with something. Maybe it's all about the surrounding picturesque valley? A certain feeling of freedom and flight did not leave. It was just nice to be in this place: walking among the remains of the columns, hiding in the shade of trees, listening to the roar of cicadas, climbing the steps in order to look around the property with the gaze of the sovereign.

1st place: pyramids of Teotihuacan

Why exactly Theo comes first? Because he was at the very beginning of our Mexican journey, and it is known that the first impression is the strongest. We did not yet know what to expect and what to prepare for, so the impressions fell like an avalanche. A large, majestic, mysterious complex of pyramids, from which riddles literally ooze. Who lived here? Why was the city abandoned by the inhabitants? It remains only to guess, walking along the Road of the Dead and climbing the majestic pyramids of the Sun and the Moon.

In addition to the ruins, completely unexpectedly, real cactus thickets were discovered in Teotihuacan, which greatly added to the already vivid impressions.

Here is such great five... But that's not all! There are many more pyramids in Mexico than it might seem at first glance.

What other pyramids have we seen?

Great Pyramid at Cholula

Andriusix and I went to see the Great or Great Pyramid in San Pedro Cholula only because it was very close to Puebla, which we devoted one of the weeks of our Mexican trip to acquaintance with. This pyramid was built by the Toltecs, so do not think that all pyramidal structures are the work of the Maya.

Rumor has it that when a church was built on the top of the hill, no one had any idea that this hill in the middle of the city was one of the largest Mexican pyramids. In general, if we did not know what is hidden under the vegetation, we would not have guessed either. The pyramid itself is not of great interest, but the town of Cholula is very pretty.

Mitla's mesmerizing pyramids

We dropped in Mitlu, returning from the park of Jerve el-Agua. By the way, this is very even a good option combine pleasure with pleasure, because Mitla alone would not bring so many emotions to justify the time spent on it. A small complex with simple cubic pyramids. But still, there was a zest here as well! Inside the buildings there are corridors resembling labyrinths, which, not only are not fenced off from tourists by ropes with prohibiting signs, but, on the contrary, invite you to look at the wall mosaic patterns. The outer walls of the palace buildings are covered with similar patterns. It is said that these mosaics lead those who are especially impressionable into a state of trance. Do you want to test the action for yourself?

Mayan pyramids at Uxmal

Andriusiks and I liked the pyramids in Uxmal. Why are they not included in the TOP? Only because it is impossible to distribute six applicants in five places. The complex is quite extensive, there is where to walk and even get lost, interesting buildings, entertaining ornaments and decorative elements. I didn’t like only one thing: the closer we moved towards the very tourist place Mexico - Cancun, the more noisy group tourists and restrictions "there-no-here-no" became. Those travelers who visited Uxmal a few years ago say that it was one of the quietest and mysterious places in those times. Probably, like now Etzna, which, perhaps, faces the same fate.

The famous pyramids of Chichen Itza

We did not like the most famous and untwisted pyramids of Mexico. And finally and irrevocably. I can already hear surprised exclamations out of the corner of my ear: "How so?" I'm telling you. The Chichen Itza complex turned out to be a place where practically nothing is possible except walking in single file after a guide, buying unnecessary souvenirs and trying to dodge the lenses of colleagues so as not to accidentally get them in the eye. I, of course, exaggerate, but it felt like it was. Chichen Itza is just some kind of kingdom of stretched ropes that separate tourists from the sacred stones. Everything is fenced! Well, is it possible? Nothing remained of the energy of this place.

Of course, for those who have the opportunity to visit only the Yucatan, this complex will be significant, but you should not expect too much from it. I would not advise you to miss Chichen Itza, although there is such a temptation. It is worth seeing these pyramids, if only because they are famous all over the world.

That's all, friends! No matter how hard we tried with Andriusiks, we never saw all the Mexican pyramids. There was no time, no strength, no desire, because by the time of meeting with the latter, they all merged into a single stone round dance.

What other pyramids can you visit in Mexico?

There is a town in the vicinity of Mexico City Tula (Tula de Allende), in which are hidden pyramids, famous for their large stone idols, the likes of which are not found anywhere else in Mexico. There is a complex with a funny name Cacaxtla, and next to it there is another - Xochitecatl, which you can drop in on the way to Puebla. There certainly won't be a lot of people there. I also remember that I was simply mesmerized by the photos from the ruins. El Tajin, but there was no chance to visit there. In the Yucatan, in the vicinity of Valladolid, you can ride in Ek Balam, and from Tulum to Coba to climb a large dilapidated pyramid. Pyramids lurked near Merida Kabah, about which little is known at all. I think this list can be continued with a list of less famous pyramids... If someone has been to a place not mentioned in the post, please share your valuable information and impressions. Perhaps someone will redo their route to see little known places... As for me, they are sometimes much more interesting than those that are on everyone's lips.

Friends, how would you allocate places if you had to compose your TOP-5?

Bright pyramid impressions to you, dear readers!

Good to know

• Flights to Mexico - Moscow-Cancun and Moscow-Mexico City (airports, flights, prices)