Ruinas del Rey
There are some ruins right near the city of Cancún, although smaller and less impressive than Tulum. The religious site was built by fishermen long before Tulum was ever built, and re-settled during the post-Classic era. The temples and platforms now sit amidst the lush trees and jungle flowers adjacent to the Hilton [...]
The Ruins at Tulum
About 80 miles from Cancún, high above the water, lies the post-Classic Mayan ruins of Tulum. Perched with a view of the Caribbean, this walled city fortress holds palace as well as fortress building ruins, set above a sandy beach. With the fascinating Maya stucco buildings and stone relief set near a [...]
The Ruins at El Tajín
This is one of the most significant ruins sites in all of Mexico today. It’s a large site with several pyramids and lots of other structures still to be excavated. El Tajín was probably constructed by the Totonac Indians who still live in the area today. Probably the most famous aspect [...]
Cacaxtla & Xochitecatl
Cacaxtla
Cacaxtla is mainly about murals. First discovered in 1975, the colorful murals at the Cacaxtla site depict symbols of Maya warriors. Cacaxtla is about 12 miles southwest of Puebla, so it makes a good day trip from that cololial city, especially when combined with a trip to the nearby Xochitécatl ruins. The main [...]
The Ruins at Zempoala
Place of the 20 Waters
Zempoala was a city built by the Totonac, on the convergence of several rivers. The Totonac flourished at the time of the Spanish conquest, and most of the ruins are from the 1300s and 1400s. The buildings have stucco walls and were whitewashed so they shone white gleaming [...]
The Great Temple
The Religious Center in Mexico Through the Centuries
Templo Mayor was once the center of Aztec culture, located in what is now the center of Mexico City. More than 6000 Aztec artifacts have been discovered at Templo Mayor since 1978, when construction workers first discovered the site. It’s near the Metropolitan Cathedral, which is [...]
San Juan Teotihuacán
History of the Site
Teotihuacán flourished between 100 B.C. and A.D. 700 and at it height, housed 100,000 or maybe even more people, up to 200,000. This was a real city, and it covered 9 to 12 square miles in the jungles 30 miles outside what is today Mexico City. It was a well-organized [...]
Zaachila is yet further down the road from Cuilapan from Oaxaca City, about 15 miles from Oaxaca City. This small town has two attractions: the Thursday Markets and the Mixtec Tombs. The Thursday market offers baskets and pottery as well as produce. Everything for the home! You can even buy farm animals at the market [...]
Mitla
Getting There
If you drive out of Oaxaca on the Pan American Highway (Hwy. 190), you will be on your way to Mitla. Mitla is another Zapotec and Mixtec site from around 600 B.C. The road to Mitla has lots to see, including other Zapotec ruins, markets, samll villages, crafts, rug weavers, Santa Maria del Tules’s [...]
Monte Albán
History
Monte Albán was a Zapotec site once full of tombs, pyramids, and palaces. The site, about half and hour from Oaxaca, is atop a levelled-off mountainin the middle of a valley, so the views of the site as well as views from the site are simply stunning. The Zapotecs began levelling off Monte Albán [...]
