Centuries ago, when the Aztecs discovered it, the ancient city had been burned and abandoned. A haze of mystery still surrounds this magnificent site. Even though experts believe Teotihuacán’s original builders came to the site over 2,700 years ago we don’t know where they came from or where they went. We don’t even know what language they spoke.
The Aztecs rebuilt the city and named it Teotihuacán: “Place where gods are created”. It was here, they believed, that the gods created the universe and the world as we know it. They called the earth the “Fifth Sun”, as the four previous attempts had been destroyed.
At Teotihuacán, perhaps the most famous and certainly the most photographed are the enormous pyramids of the Sun and Moon, the Cuidadela, or Citadel, with its temple dedicated to the Plumed Serpent, Quetzalcoatl, and the Palace of Quetzalpapalotl, the Plumed Butterfly. The Citadel was to Teotihuacán what the forum was to Rome: its physical and spiritual center.
The most beautiful areas in the zone of the pyramids are Atetelco, Tetitla and Tepanitla. Murals are still vivid, depicting sea shells and other water symbols that are associated with Tlaloc, the Aztec’s rain god.
The long Street of the Dead, 2.5 kms plus, begins at the Great Compound complexes in the south and extends to the Pyramid of the Moon in the north. The Street divides the great city into two sections. Looking toward the Pyramid of the Moon, the right side is composed of majestic pyramids, homes of the hierarchy and entrances to hand-excavated caves believed to be religious in nature. The left comprises the West Plaza Complex, smaller temples and patios. Located on either side of the Street are found pyramid- shaped apartment complexes. Such multi-family dwellings are found nowhere else in Mesoamerica, suggesting that they were planned from the beginning of construction.
This sacred site, at its glory about A.D. 500, (before the Aztecs) was the sixth largest city in the world, covered eight square miles, was the home to two hundred thousand people, and can be compared to Shakespeare’s London. Much of the area has not been investigated as it sits under 5 towns, one of Mexico’s largest military bases, commercial centers, a string of highways and farmland. Archaeologists continually cross the boundaries of the unknown as new discoveries are unearthed. Chambers are located, ancient pottery and statues are unearthed and burial sites are located. One day the mystery may be decoded and we will learn why Teotihuacán had been so suddenly abandoned. Now we can only guess. Famine? Civil Strife? War?
To fully feel the sacred power of Teotihuacán, gaze up at it during sunrise. Then make the climb to stand atop the Pyramid of the Sun and let the sun bathe you in light. Let your imagination transport you back to before the time of Christ as the plans were laid for “The City Of The Gods”. Let your spirit fly.
Getting There: Teotihuacán is 30 miles northeast of Mexico City and can be reached easily by car from Lakeside. Tours can be arranged from Mexico City or from Ajijic. Remember to dress appropriately. It can be hot and the climbs are steep. Near the site you’ll find Club Med’s Villa Arqueologica Hotel where you can dine or stay overnight (book rooms on the web).
