The Mayan city in today’s Mexico has mysterious origins. It was massive, one of the first great cities of the Western Hemisphere. A famed archaeological site located fewer than 30 miles (50 kilometers) from Mexico City, Teotihuacan reached its zenith between 100 B.C. and A.D. …

Did the Aztecs lived in Teotihuacan?

While the town known to the Aztecs as Teotihuacan was a much smaller place than the Early Classic city—and much smaller than the great Aztec capital Tenochtitlan/Mexico City—it was strategically important as a regional political capital.

Is Teotihuacan a archaeological site in Mexico?

Located 48 km northeast of Mexico City, Teotihuacan is one the archaeological sites with the longest history of exploration in Mexico. The first surveys date from 1864, and the first excavations from 1884.

How did the Teotihuacan influence the Mayans?

The material evidence at Kaminaljuyu suggests that its Maya inhabitants developed a cultural relationship with the inhabitants of central Mexico. Objects discovered at the site indicate that Teotihuacan artistic elements were adopted and then incorporated into buildings and ceramics to create a fusion of two cultures.

What did the Aztecs think about Teotihuacan?

Teotihuacan cast a long cultural shadow through history and, 1,000 years after its peak, the last great Pre-Columbian civilization, the Aztecs, revered the city as the origin of civilization. They believed Teotihuacan was where the gods had created the present era, including the fifth and present sun.

What did the Aztecs do with Teotihuacan?

Artifacts found in the city and sites across Mexico suggest Teotihuacan was a wealthy trade metropolis in its prime. In particular, the city exported fine obsidian tools, including spear and dart heads. Teotihuacan had a monopoly on obsidian trade—the most important deposit in Mesoamerica was located near the city.

What is Teotihuacan made of?

The Pyramid of the Sun dominates central Teotihuacán from the east side of the Avenue of the Dead, the main north–south artery of the city. It was constructed of about 1,000,000 cubic yards (765,000 cubic metres) of material, including hewed tezontle, a red coarse volcanic rock of the region.

Is Teotihuacan safe?

Mexico City is the best place to stay if you want to visit Teotihuacán (which by the way, is not an Aztec site) and is safe. Common sense is the best tool, as in any other big city in the world, to prevent crime.

Can you still climb Teotihuacan?

Teotihuacán is believed to have been built around 100 B.C. and grew to be a powerful city with more than 100,000 inhabitants. It was abandoned a few hundred years later but you can still climb the large pyramids and walk amongst the temples and murals. Climb the 248 steps for a panoramic view over and beyond the city.