The Teotihuacan archeological complex was just a one hour taxi ride from our hotel in the La Condesa neighborhood of central Mexico City. But, hands down, it is one of the most interesting historical sites in all of North America! We hooked up with a great open-minded tour guide when we reached the site and he delivered a wonderful presentation lasting about half the day. We invited a solo traveler from France we also met near the front gate to join us.
Teotihuacán guards secrets and the origins are uncertain! Construction of some portions of the city probably started in the first two centuries BC, and the civilization reached its high point between 350 and 650 AD. Teotihuacan was mysteriously abandoned in 700 A.D.
Below are some pics from our visit. But first, here are some mysterious facts about Teotihuacan (reference)…
1. One of the greatest mysteries of Teotihuacán is that no one knows where the huge population that lived here eventually ended up. It is as if they vanished without a trace.
2. Teotihuacan was one of the largest cities in the ancient world, with over 150,000 inhabitants at its peak.
3. At Teotihuacan, we can find some of the largest buildings ever erected in the New World.
4. Teotihuacan‘s city layout strangely resembles a computer circuit board with two large processor chips– the Sun Pyramid and the Moon Pyramid.
5. Archaeologists have found large quantities of Mica at Teotihuacan, yet this mineral is found 3,000 miles away in Brazil. Mica is present almost in every single building at Teotihuacan.
6. Archaeologists have discovered hundreds of mysterious, once-metallic spheres buried deep beneath an ancient pyramid in Mexico City. And we have absolutely no idea what they’re for.
7. Teotihuacan means City of the Gods but can also be interpreted as “the place where men become gods"
8. Along the “Avenue of the Dead” the pyramids align in perfect distance of each other and reflect the exact orbit of the planets.
