Teotihuacan, 50 KM northeast of Mexico City, is commonly translated from the Nahuatl as "City of the Gods". It is a a holy city built by the Aztecs between the 1st and 7th centuries A.D. It is organized around a central axis, called the "Avenue of the Dead. " Apartment compounds with pyramidal constructions were arranged on both sides of the avenue. There are 2 very large pyramids. The Pyramid of the Sun is the largest stone pyramid in all of Pre-columbian America. It currently measures 738 ft. on each side and is about 213 ft. tall. However, it was once even larger. The earliest layers of the pyramid were constructed over a natural cave which was used for some time as a shrine by the Teotihuacanos. The Pyramid of the Moon is located at the Northern terminus of the Avenue of the Dead. Directly in front of its south façade is a large plaza which is surrounded by structures in a relatively good state of preservation. |