HISTORIC LANDMARKS IN MEXICO

1- MONTE ALBAN

What was once the site of the Zapotec and Mixtec ancient centre lies Monte Alban, a series of ruins dating back to 500 BC when the Zapotec people lived, worked and worshipped on the hillside.

The site is on high ground to form a defence against attacking tribes, and as such Monte Alban has incredible views over the surrounding landscapes, including Oaxaca de Juares, a historical centre.

Monte Alban was inhabited by several peoples over 1500 years who carved canals, pyramids and terraces into the hills. Symbols representing sacred texts were also carved directly out of the mountain.

2- CHICHEN ITZA

Meaning “at the mouth of the well of Itza”, Chichen Itza is one of the most famous historical landmarks in Mexico.

Famous for El Castillo, the Kukulkan stepped pyramid, Chichen Itza was inhabited by the Mayans and was one of the most important places of their empire.

In 2007 Chichen Itza was named as one of the New Seven Wonders of The World.

Throughout the area, many monuments featuring carvings of the movements of the planets can be found, which were created by the Maya as a celestial calendar.

Today visitors can explore the site at their leisure, and if staying after sunset will be able to view the nightly light show.

 

3- PALENQUE

Deep in the Mexican jungle, surrounded by incredible wildlife such as howler monkeys and parrots, lies the Palenque temples.

First unearthed by a Spanish explorer in the 16th century, it is believed that Palenque dates back to 200 AD.

The most important part of Palenque lies inside the tomb of Pakal the Great and the Temple of Inscriptions in which it was hidden.

After becoming ruler aged 12, Pakal ordered much of Palenque be rebuilt and demanded that events should be recorded in detail, offering archeologists an incredible insight into what life was like there.

 

4- EL TAJIN

Considered to be one of Mexico’s most important historical landmarks, El Tajin is an incredible series of ruins from Mesoamerican culture, located near Papantla in the northern jungle.

Due to its remote location, El Tajin is often much quieter than other ancient sites around Mexico, making it the perfect spot to explore in detail.

Abruptly abandoned in 1200AD, El Tajin was home to around 20,000 people at its peak.

Much of the city lies within the thick jungle surrounding the main sites, which have been cleared to allow visitors to explore.

The Pyramid of the Niches is another stepped pyramid that is well preserved and is filled with 365 square windows reflecting each day of the solar year, which was charted by the people here.

It is unclear who built El Tajin; however, visiting this large and partially unexcavated site will leave you wanting to know more.

5- GREAT PYRAMID OF CHOLULA

Often mistaken for a hill due to the decades of grass and brush that have overgrown the walls, the Great Pyramid of Cholula now sits beneath a Spanish chapel built in the 16th century.

With a larger volume than the Egyptian pyramids, the Great Pyramid of Cholula was built around 2000 years ago by either Teotihuacan or El Tajin peoples.

Recently archeologists have begun to excavate this once-great pyramid and have discovered a network of tunnels, platforms and altars that would have been used during religious ceremonies.

El Tajin is now open to the public, with guided tours of the tunnels available.

6- LA VENTA

One of the more unusual examples of ancient settlements is La Venta, an Olmec settlement.

The site’s main draw is its 77 carved stone monuments, including four giant heads.

Strong links to astronomy are present here, with many of the buildings constructed to follow the maps of the stars.

The centre of the site was crucial to the people’s understanding of celestial sciences and many of the carvings, including 3 of the giant heads, face north.

The stone heads are the biggest draw to visitors and each one features a different headdress, thought by archeologists to represent ancient rulers of the site.

7- TULUM

Unlike most of Mexico’s ancient sites, the ruins at Tulum are the only ones located by the sea.

Built as a seaport, Tulum was the gateway to the Mayan empires for trade with copper, cacao beans and cotton often traded here.

The main pyramid at Tulum is named El Castillo and was used as a lighthouse during ancient times due to the positioning of windows at the top of the tower.

FAMOUS LANDMARKS IN MEXICO

8- MUSEO NACIONAL DE ANTROPOLOGIA

The National Museum of Anthropology has an impressive collection of artefacts from the indigenous peoples within Mexico’s incredible history and is a great place to learn more about the roots of their culture.

Items for the museum have been gathered over centuries despite only opening in 1964.

The collection features a giant carved head of a fire serpent, a celestial calendar and many ceremonial headdresses of Aztec rulers.

When visiting the museum, take some time to admire its architecture.

Combining minimalistic buildings with large courtyards and immaculate gardens, the museum mirrors the culture it protects inside its walls.