Archaeological sites

chichen itza archaeological sites

If you are interested in knowing the most impressive and visited pre-Hispanic cities in Mexico, here we compile them for you to know.

El Tajin

Formerly known as ”the house of thunder”, it is a pre-Hispanic city located in Veracruz. It is a city with large spaces between buildings, temples or reliefs. One of the great curiosities of this very important archaeological site is the number of ball games it has, specifically 17.

One of the most important buildings to visit in the archaeological site of El Tajin is undoubtedly the Pyramid of the Niches with a large number of boards that serve as a facade, no less than 365, referring to the days of the year.

Teotihuacán

Another impressive archaeological site is Teotihuacan, which comes from the Nahuatl language and means ”place where the gods were made”. It was one of the most important sites in Mesoamerica in terms of politics, economy and even religion.

It was also one of the most populated, with around 100,000 inhabitants. Due to its great importance for the country’s cultural heritage, it was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1987. When you are visiting the pre-Hispanic city of Teotihuacán you will appreciate its beauty, as well as discover why it is one of the most visited archaeological ruins today.

The city of Teotihuacan and The pyramid of the sun

The main attraction is the Pyramid of the Sun, the highest of the place with 65 meters and formed by 3 levels. Then would follow the Pyramid of the Moon with 45 meters high, which is crowned with a sanctuary where religious ceremonies were held.

It is so large that it is recommended to visit it in more than one day to appreciate everything in detail, but if unfortunately you do not have time to do so, there are very complete routes that cover many key points of the city.

Calakmul

Like the cities of Tikal or Palenque, the site of Calakmul was one of the most powerful cities. After having been abandoned since approximately 900 A.D., it was discovered in the 20th century in the middle of the forest. One of the most important attractions are the stelae, a total of 120 stones engraved with texts of the lives of the most important rulers of the city.

Chichén Itzá

Undoubtedly, the tour you can’t miss, Chichen Itza. At the time of its discovery by the Spaniards, it was the main center of worship and pilgrimage in the Yucatan Peninsula.

Founded by the ancient Maya between 325 and 550 A.D. approximately, it has buildings that remain in an impressive state of preservation.

Uxmal

Uxmal, the destination you have to visit. Its name comes to mean ”three times built” something that could allude to the different occupations it suffered. The city has an architectural style characteristic of the Puuc Region.

It was built between 600 and 900 A.D. and its main protagonists are the pyramid of the soothsayer and the quadrangle of the nuns, undoubtedly essential during the visit to Uxmal.

Alternate Destination

After your tour of the ancient pre-Hispanic cities, you can give yourself a well-deserved treat by staying in one of the hotels in Cancun, you’ll love it!

About the Author
Patu Soto | Me gradué en Periodismo por la Universidad Complutense de Madrid. Durante estos años, he podido desarrollarme como periodista y fotógrafa amateur en el periódico El Ibérico ubicado en Londres. También he colaborado y publicado tanto artículos escritos como reportajes fotográficos en varios medios digitales. Tuve la oportunidad de desempeñar labores de Community Manager en el centro cultural japonés Sakigake en Madrid. Actualmente colaboro como Redactora SEO para Oasis Hoteles & Resorts, con sede en Cancún. En mis ratos libres sigo formándome, aprendiendo y conociendo más acerca del mundo digital en general y de los RRHH en particular. Si quieres conocer mi trabajo un poco más, conecta conmigo en mi Linkedin.

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