Teotihuacán: Guide to the Pyramids Near Mexico City

Teotihuacán was the largest city in the pre-Columbian Americas at its peak (100 CE – 550 CE), with an estimated population of 100,000–200,000 people. The question of who built it remains unanswered: the Aztecs (who came later) called it “the place where the gods were created” — they were as uncertain about its builders as we are.

History

The city was founded around 100 BCE and flourished from approximately 100–550 CE. At its peak, it controlled trade networks across Mesoamerica. The cultural influence of Teotihuacán reached as far as the Maya lowlands (Tikal, Copán) and Oaxaca (Monte Albán).

Around 550 CE, a catastrophic event — possibly an internal revolt — resulted in the burning of the city’s elite residential and religious structures. The city subsequently declined. The Aztecs, who built their empire 700 years later, visited the ruins and incorporated Teotihuacán into their own mythology, naming the structures and performing rituals there.

The identity of the Teotihuacán people remains unknown. Recent DNA analysis suggests the population was ethnically diverse. The dominant language(s) are unidentified.

The site

The Avenue of the Dead (Calzada de los Muertos): a 5-km processional avenue running north-south through the city. The name was given by the Aztecs, who misidentified the platforms along its length as tombs. They were actually temple platforms.

Pyramid of the Sun (Pirámide del Sol): at 65 metres, the third-largest pyramid in the world by volume. Built in two phases over the first century CE over a natural cave (now sealed). The staircase to the summit is steep and unrailed; the view from the top encompasses the entire city grid.

Pyramid of the Moon (Pirámide de la Luna): at the north end of the avenue. Smaller than the Pyramid of the Sun, with a different profile — it frames the mountain (Cerro Gordo) behind it deliberately. The summit is accessible by a staircase.

Temple of Quetzalcóatl: the most ornately decorated building on site. The facade has alternating feathered serpent heads and what are thought to be rain deity faces. Scaffolding has affected parts of the facade in recent years; check current access conditions before visiting.

Palacio de Atetelco, Tetitla, Zacuala: residential complexes on the western edge of the main site, with preserved murals including the famous “paradise of Tláloc” fresco.

Visiting practically

Getting there from Mexico City: Autobuses del Norte terminal (Metro: Autobuses del Norte, Line 5). Buses marked “Pirámides” or “Teotihuacán” run every 30 minutes, journey approx 1 hour. Return buses run from Gate 1 of the site.

Opening hours: 8 am–5 pm daily.

Entry: buy tickets at inah.gob.mx to avoid queues. The site has four gates; Gate 1 (south) and Gate 3 (west, near the temples) are the most convenient.

When to arrive: 8 am opening is strongly recommended. By 10–11 am the site is busy; by noon it’s at full tourist capacity with intense heat. A 2–3 hour visit starting at 8 am covers the main structures comfortably.

What to bring: hat, sunscreen, water (vendors sell water inside the site, usually at inflated prices), comfortable shoes. The surface is uneven volcanic rock.

Hot air balloons

Several operators run balloon flights over the site at sunrise — the view of the pyramids from above the Avenue of the Dead is one of the most spectacular experiences in Mexico. Flights go year-round. Book well in advance.