Long before the Aztecs, there were other sophisticated civilizations in Mesoamerica. One of the most notable cities is Teotihuacan located just 25 miles or 40 kilometers northeast of Mexico City. Today Teotihuacan boasts one of the most architecturally significant Mesoamerican pyramids (including the third largest pyramid in the world).

Many years later the Aztecs (who had moved there from further north) saw these impressive ruins and claimed ancestry from the Teotihuacanos. They would even model parts of their culture on them - perhaps a little like how the Romans modeled themselves on the Greeks.

History Of Teotihaucan

In its heyday, Teotihuacan is estimated to have had a population of around 125,000 or even more. That is enough to have made it the sixth-largest city in the world at that time. It is thought to have been established around 100 BC (in the days of the Roman Republic) and experienced its heyday from around 1 AD to around 500 AD (from the height of the Roman Empire to just after its fall).

There was continuous construction to around 250 AD but by around 550 AD it seems its major monuments had been systematically sacked and burned. It is thought it continued to be inhabited to around the 7th or 8th centuries.

  • Peak Population: 125,000 or More
  • Size: Sixth-largest City On Earth At That Time
  • Heyday: 1 AD to 500 AD
  • Total Site: 32 Sq Miles or 83 Sq Kilometers
  • Designated: UNESCO World Heritage Since 1987
  • Visited: Over 4 Million Visitors Making It The Most Visited Archeological Site In Mexico

One of the notable exports of Teotihuacan was fine obsidian tools and they are found throughout Mesoamerica.

According to National Geographic, the jury seems to still be out on whether Teotihuacan sat at the center of what we could call a state empire or not. It is apparent that their influence in one form or another extended to as far as Veracruz and the Maya region.

After the Teotihuacan civilization collapsed, it would still be a long time before the Aztecs would rise to power. The dominance of central Mexico was instead dominated by regional powers like the Xochicalco and Tula. Centuries after the fall of this civilization the Aztecs would gaze in awestruck wonder. In fact, the name, Teotihuacan, is the name the Aztecs gave it.

While today the pyramids are the best preserved and by far the most notable landmarks, there is also a myriad of other ruins of this great city to see. There are multi-family complex residential compounds, the Avenue of the Dead, and well-preserved murals.

Related: 10 Facts About Chichen Itza, One Of The 7 Wonders Of The World

The City Of Teotihuacan

  • Ethnic Group Of Teotihuacan: Perhaps Nahua, Otomi, Totonac - Could Also Have Been A Multi-Ethnic State

For the time Teotihuacan was massive and was one of the first great cities in the Western Hemisphere. No city in the Americas would grow larger than it was before the 1400s.

It is easy to forget that in the Old World people had metal instruments and pack animals like horses, donkeys, oxen, and camels to help build their monuments and cities. But in the Americas, everything had to be built by hand - without metal.

  • Entrance Fee: 80 Pesos or $4.00
  • Getting There: It Is Possible To Get Transport There And a Fast-Track Entry Ticket For As Little As $35.00

The city has no apparent military structures and the city contains a massive central road (called the Street of the Dead). The Street of the Dead is flanked by impressive ceremonial architecture that one really needs to see in person - including the Temple or Pyramid of the Sun, the Temple or Pyramid of the Moon, and The Ciudadela with the Temple of the Feathered Serpent Quetzalcoatl.

Related: The Complete Guide To Visiting The Most Impressive Mayan Ruins In 5 Countries

Temple Or Pyramid of the Sun

The Pyramid of the Sun is the central attraction at Teotihuacan and is easily one of the largest in the Americas. It is believed to have been built around 200 AD and abandoned around 750 AD. it is a part of the large complex in the heart of the city.

The name comes from the Aztecs. It is massive - the third largest pyramid in the world (only the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt - that one should go inside - and the Great Pyramid of Cholula in Mexico are larger). Both the Pyramid of the Sun and the Pyramid of Cholula should be on one's Mexico pyramid bucket list.

Teotihuacanos overlaid the pyramid with lime plaster on which they painted brilliantly colored murals. Like so many ruins today, it is now dull. But originally it was decorated and colorful, but the paint and plaster have not survived the centuries. There was also once a temple or shrine on top of the structure, but that too has not survived.

  • Height: 71.17 Meters or 233.5 Feet
  • Base perimeter: 794.79 Metres or 2,607.6 feet
  • Volume: 1,184,828.31 Cubic Metres or 41,841,817 Cubic feet
  • The angle of slope: 32.494 Degrees

Next: What You Need To Know About Visiting The Pyramids Of Egypt