A Brief Exploration Of Teotihuacán: The “City Of The Gods”

One may immerse themselves in a remarkable display of economic prosperity and religious reverence at Teotihuacán.

Teotihuacán, known as “The City of the Gods” in Nahuatl, is a significant ancient city located a 1.5-hour drive away from Mexico City. Made up of several palaces, plazas, pyramids and temples, the area operated as an economic and religious hub for hundreds of years.

Beginning in the first century, the community developed into a relatively large municipality comprised partly of refugees from Cuicuilco, a settlement approximately 45 miles away that was devastated by Xitle’s lava flow in 200 B.C.E.–100 A.D.

During the apex of Teotihuacán, its inhabitants cultivated a lifestyle that consisted mostly of farming nearby areas, though some community members worked with ceramic and obsidian. Religion was also an important part of the society’s culture, as rulers held large ceremonies among the sizable pyramids and temples.

One of the notable structures visitors can still see today is the Pyramid of the Moon. With a base approximately 426 by 511 feet, the pyramid functioned as a place in which rituals were performed, as well as a burial ground for humans who were sacrificed to the inhabitants’ gods. Interestingly, a tomb dedicated to the Great Goddess of Teotihuacán was discovered here in 1998 and contained the remains of a sacrificed human.

Also situated near the Calle de los Muertos, or Avenue of the Dead, a 1.5-mile-long road that connects several of the structures and is likely lined with the remnants of palace quarters, is the Pyramid of the Sun. Rising 216 feet into the air, the edifice is comprised of approximately 1,000,000 cubic yards of material that may have been mined out of the tunnels beneath it and the rest of Teotihuacán.

One can climb the 248 steps to the top of the pyramid and view the surrounding landscape, which consists of mountains and the rest of the city. Visitors may also see the Temple of Quetzalcóatl, which is located an approximately 32-minute walk away from the structure.

Although it was constructed in a similar style as many of the other buildings in Teotihuacán, the Temple of Quetzalcóatl has many unique features.

As it is dedicated to the Mesoamerican deity, Quetzalcóatl, the temple contains notable ornamentation of the feathered serpent entity. In order to see it, one may look to various spots on the structure’s exterior. While the edifice’s walls used to be painted red, it is still a remarkable example of the talud-tablero architectural style, which can be defined by a sloping wall surmounted by a vertical wall, that existed in pre-Columbian Mesoamerica.

Although some of Teotihuacán burned around 750 A.D. due to a civil war or insurrection and later fell into a state of disrepair, the ruins excavated more than a millennium later provide travelers the ability to immerse themselves in an impressive display of economic prosperity and religious reverence.

In order to experience the Mesoamerican remains, one can ride the metro, take a taxi or drive the approximately 1.5-hour route from Mexico City, which is about 25 miles away, and embark on either a self-guided or group tour to engage in a historic journey.

Ray Lewis

Content Editor Associate

Originally from New Jersey, Ray developed a passion for traveling through his adventures in Europe. He created unforgettable memories in Greece and Italy, but is looking to explore more countries in different parts of the world as well.