Discover more about the most important Mesoamerican cultures in the history of Latin America.

Incas, Mayas and Aztecs

The cultural heritage of these three civilizations is impressive, being among the best known worldwide and whose creations are still admired today by millions of people.

Starting with the Incas, their origins are located in Cuzco, Peru. This was the capital of their entire kingdom, Tahuantinsuyo, which was also composed of Collayuso, Chinchasuyo, Contisuyo and Antisuyo.

It was a polytheistic society, whose main deity was the Sun God, from whom the first Inca was believed to have emerged. One of the best known buildings today is Machu Picchu, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1983 and one of the 7 wonders of the world.

The Mayas have left us innumerable vestiges, and many of them are located in the Cancun area. The temples and pyramids they built were dedicated to their different gods (it was also a polytheistic society).

La conocida Chichén Itzá se encuentra en la península de Yucatán, y está abierta al público para admirar todo su esplendor. We recommend staying at the Oasis hotels in Cancun to be able to do all the essential tours of this geographic area.

The Aztec empire, located in the city of Tenochtitlan, was one of the most advanced societies. Currently you can find the archaeological remains in Mexico City. They were also polytheists, and their language was Nahuatl, from which words that we still use today have emerged.

Map of the Aztec Empire

The Aztec people developed in several areas of Latin America: in addition to the city of Tenochtitlan, which was the central point in the Valley of Mexico, they also expanded their power to Veracruz, Morelos, Pueblas, Oaxaca and the coast, among others.

Aztec period

• In 1100 the Aztecs begin their new life outside Aztlan.
• In 1200 the Aztec empire arrives in the Valley of Mexico.
• In 1325 the city of Tenochtitlan, the future capital of the Aztec empire, was founded.
• In 1440 Moctezuma I came to power and became one of the most important kings of the empire.
• In 1487 the main temple was built, whose main purpose was to offer sacrifices to the gods.
• In 1519 Hernán Cortés arrives and the sad night takes place. For a couple of years he forms alliances with indigenous peoples to defeat the Aztec empire.
• In 1521 the Spanish took the city of Tenochtitlán to become the capital of New Spain.

Aztec people

Also known as Mexica, they were one of the peoples that expanded throughout different territories of the Mexican geography, until the XVI century, with the arrival of the Spaniards.

Until then, these were organized politically under the maximum authority of the Tlatoani, which also included high spheres of society such as the military and priests.

There were three social classes divided into the pipiltin, the nobles, the commoners also known as macehualtin and the tlatlacotin, who were the slaves.