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Teotihuacan

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description Teotihuacan Overview

Teotihuacan, located just outside Mexico City, is one of the largest and most impressive ancient cities in Mesoamerica. The massive pyramids of the Sun and Moon, along with numerous residential complexes and plazas, reveal a sophisticated urban center that thrived between 100 BC and 550 AD. Its influence extended across much of Central America.

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When did Teotihuacan become a major city?

The settlement developed into one of the largest cities in the Americas between the first and seventh centuries CE, after occupation began before the Christian era. UNESCO records that the city had at least 25,000 inhabitants.

Who built Teotihuacan?

The people who founded and governed Teotihuacan are not identified by a single surviving historical name, and the city was not built by the later Aztecs. The Nahuatl name Teotihuacan was applied after the city had already been abandoned.

What are the main monuments at Teotihuacan?

The central ceremonial area includes the Pyramid of the Sun, Pyramid of the Moon, Avenue of the Dead, Pyramid of Quetzalcoatl, and several palace compounds. The layout shows that Teotihuacan was a planned urban and religious center rather than just a group of isolated pyramids.

How large is the Pyramid of the Sun?

UNESCO gives the Pyramid of the Sun a base of about 225 by 222 meters and a height of about 75 meters. Its enormous size is one reason Teotihuacan is recognized as a major achievement of pre-Columbian architecture.

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