Templo Mayor Artiface
Mexico City was built on the site of the ancient Aztec capital city, Tenochtitlan. When the Spaniards conquered the area and moved in, they took apart and covered most of the city. So, it’s no wonder that every time Mexicans start to build or excavate any area, they come across ruins and Aztec artifacts.
The Templo Mayor is an Aztec Pyramid in the heart of downtown Mexico City.
Temple steps
The Templo Mayor was unearthed by electric company workers digging just off of the main plaza, Zocalo, in 1976.
replica of Templo Mayor
Now, the temple itself it actually made up of seven temples, each built on top of the other, and dedicated to two gods, Huitzilopochtli, the god of war, and Tlaloc, the god of rain and agriculture. Priests reguarly committed human sacrifice in homage to these dieties.
Templo Mayor designs
Also on site is the House of Eagles for the priest warriors, the Calmecoc, a residence hall for priests, and the ball field, the site for games where losers were sacrificed.
The museum attached the the ruins is full of information and ancient artifacts found in the excavations.
Skulls at Templo Mayor
The reason the Aztecs built their temples on this site is because it is supposedly exactly where the god Huitzilopochtli gave a sign to his people that they had reached the promised land.
What was that sign?
An eagle on a nopal cactus with a snake in its mouth.
Flag of Mexico
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5 Responses
I’d forgotten about Mexico City and it’s ruins. I traveled there in the 1980s a couple of times. Always amazed by the artifacts and ruins you see in the subways. These are the ruins found underground when they ecavated for the subways … and left in place.
There was a big earthquake in Mexico City in 1985. It was 8.1 magnitude. I’d been there with my kids a year before (love that zoo in MC). I wonder if the earthquakes are the Aztec spirits showing fury at the city built on top of their sacred ruins.
I really want to go and visit Mexico and Mexico City, before I head back to the Antipodes. he whole Aztec history has always fascinated me.
Great article and photos..
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Other sources including National Geographic and Wikipedia date the modern discovery of Templo Mayor as 1978 not 1976 as stated here. Wondering which date is correct?