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Teaotihuacan; A Pre-Hispanic City Whose Existence Still Confounds Historians

The virgin lands of the Americas were not so virgin after all. The Spaniards would have a hard time managing the civilizations they found there. As fate would have it though, their superior firepower carried the day. Among the cities that predates the Spanish conquistadors is the city of Teotihuacan.

The city is a classic example of human occupation long before the Christian era. Evidence shows that the city was occupied between the 1st and 7th centuries AD. During its heydays, it boasted a population of 25,000 inhabitants, easily making it one of the largest cities in ancient Mexico

The city’s urban landscape is easily integrated into the natural elements of the Teotihuacan Valley. Among the most prominent physical features that you will find here is the San Juan River whose natural course was altered to pass through the Avenue of the Dead. The city features a lot of religious, residential, commercial and monumental structures. Among the most prominent buildings include the Pyramids of the Sun and Moon and the Great Compound that features the Temple of Quetzalcoatl (also baptized the Temple of the Plumed Serpent).

Most of the city’s religious and civil buildings feature the ‘talud tablero’, a distinctive feature that this civilization is identified with. To add to their beauty, the buildings were decorated with wall paintings that largely symbolized the ancient mythology as well as the beautiful natural landscape that surrounds the city.

Teotihuacan is considered a prototype for large-scale urbanization that greatly influenced subsequent cities’ construction – both within this civilization and other civilization s in the Meso American World.

During its heydays, the city occupied a surface area equal to 36 square kilometers. The city’s ceremonial center represents about 10% of its total size. Other features within the city that you would be interested in include;

Unfortunately, the city was razed by fire in the 7th Century AD and was subsequently abandoned. Despite its checkered history, the remains of the city will take your knowledge of the Mexican history to another level.

by Kennedy Runo on 07/31/2015 in Sightseeing