Although it was always known that Mexico City was built over the city of the Aztecs, it wasn't until 1978 when electric company workers uncovered a monolith depicting Coyolxauqui, the Aztec moon goddess, that the Mexico City government gave permission for a full city block to be excavated. Tuesday through Sunday from 9 am to 5 pm. The Templo Mayor Museum was inaugurated in 1987. The collection shows the political, military and aesthetic relevance of the city that dominated Mesoamerica before the arrival of the Spaniards. Templo Mayor, the great temple of the Aztecs, stands in the heart of Mexico City. The Templo Mayor was the main temple of the Mexica peoples in their capital city of Tenochtitlan, which is now Mexico City. INAH's representatives mentioned the possibility of making an archaeological window or a walkway so that citizens and visitors … The difference is that the Anthropology Museum has the mission of collecting and educating on all of the cultures of Mexico. Templo Mayor Museum . Above: Mexica temples were stuccoed and brightly painted. The temple was called the Huēyi Teōcalli in the Nahuatl language. There were also Mixtec figurines, ceramic urns from Veracruz, masks from what is now the state of Guerrero, copper rattles, and decorated skulls and knives of obsidian and flint. One was for Huitzilopochtli, the god of war, and the other was for Tlaloc, the god of rain and agriculture. You may find it more beneficial to visit the covered museum inside the archaeological site before … The Templo Mayor is dedicated just to understanding and exploring the center, and to some great extent, the empire, of Mexico-Tenochtitlan. Don't make that mistake! Today, all of this is complemented by a major museum whose permanent collection is among the most important in the city. The Templo Mayor site includes a series of constructions, buildings, pyramids and shrines. Little remains of the final layer of the temple which was built around 1500. The Mexica people (also known as the Aztecs) founded Tenochtitlan, their capital city, in 1325. Museo del Templo Mayor: Archaeological site - See 4,324 traveller reviews, 3,037 candid photos, and great deals for Mexico City, Mexico, at Tripadvisor. TheCity.mx | Your Essential Guide to Everything Mexico City, Venues / (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo) “Once the rocks and dirt were dug out, … In the center of the city there was a walled area known as the sacred precinct. Museums , Monumental Mexico, Culture every day, Family, By venue. This is a representation of Templo Mayor showing the placement of the serpents. In this way, the Aztecs and their city of Tenochtitlan are still with us and we continue to learn about their people and culture. The museum is centered around the moon goddess disc, dedicated to Coyolxauhqui, (pictured below), but the value to the city in the museum is incalculable and of primary importance for any visit to Mexico City. On the right is one of the actual serpents at the archaeological site. The fee includes entry to the Templo Mayor archaeological site as well as the Templo Mayor museum. In addition, they debated the issues concerning the conservation work carried out by the team of restorers of the Templo Mayor. Templo Mayor Archaeological Site: At its time of splendor, the Templo Mayor was a pyramid with two temples at the top dedicated to Huitzilopochtli, the god of war, and Tlaloc, the rain god. Templo Mayor is a relatively small site, and there is a pathway that guides you around it. The collection shows the political, military and aesthetic relevance of the city that dominated Mesoamerica before the Spaniards arrived. Templo Mayor Archaeological Zone (Tenochtitlán). The Templo Mayor museum was built beside the archaeological site, so visitors can now see the remains of the main Aztec temple, along with the excellent museum that explains it and contains many items that were found on the site. Ancient Origins articles related to Templo Mayor in the sections of history, archaeology, human origins, unexplained, artifacts, ancient places and myths and legends. Admission fee is 70 pesos. By alex Wednesday October 22nd, 2014 Excavations have continued to this day, and continue to reveal more and deeper insight into the city’s earliest years. The Templo Mayor was the main temple of the Mexica peoples in their capital city of Tenochtitlan, which is now Mexico City. Download this stock image: The Aztecs Ruins of Templo Mayor, Archaeological Site, in backgroubd The Metropolitan Cathedral, historic center, Mexico City, Mexico - HP35Y8 from Alamy's library of millions of high resolution stock photos, illustrations and vectors. Today of course, there is nothing left that stood much higher than where the serpents are today. In Mexico City's historical center, the Templo Mayor is located on the east side of Mexico City's Metropolitan Cathedral at #8 Seminario street, near the Zocalo Metro station. In this way the museum reflects the Aztec world view of the duality of life and death, water and war, and the symbols represented by Tlaloc and Huitzilopochtli. classification. After documenting the American cemetery in Mexico City, CyArk had the opportunity to record the site of Templo Mayor, an active excavation, located just miles away in the historic center of Mexico City. Many tourists miss out on visiting this outstanding archaeological site because they don't realize it is there. Templo Mayor Archaeological Site; Discover all about Ciudad de México. The sacred precinct was dominated by a large temple that had two pyramids at the top. The museum is part of the archaeological zone to the north and east of the Metropolitan Cathedral. No trip is complete without a good archaeology fix. Subscribe Now! Above: View of the Templo Mayor archaeological site looking east. Construction of the first temple began sometime after 1325 and it was rebuilt six times. Templo Mayor. The Templo Mayor (Spanish for "[the] Greater Temple") was the main temple of the Mexica peoples in their capital city of Tenochtitlan, which is now Mexico City. From $65 MXN. Templo Mayor archaeological site and museum. Museo del Templo Mayor: Archaeological site - See 4,323 traveller reviews, 3,036 candid photos, and great deals for Mexico City, Mexico, at Tripadvisor. File photo - Tourists visit the Templo Mayor archaeological site in Mexico City, Tuesday Dec. 1, 2015. Here you will find displays of the artifacts discovered during within the temple ruins, including the monolith of the moon goddess Coyolxauhqui, as well as obsidian knives, rubber balls, jade and turquoise masks, reliefs, sculptures and many other objects that were used for ritual or practical purposes. Museo del Templo Mayor: Archaeological site - See 4,322 traveller reviews, 3,036 candid photos, and great deals for Mexico City, Mexico, at Tripadvisor. Be sure to visit this site … A model of Templo Mayor Archaeological Zone, where is possible to appreciate the context of the site within the main buildings of the Historic Centre (Templo Mayor Museum). Templo Mayor is a perfect example of this. The Templo Mayor archaeological site in Mexico City, on Tuesday Dec. 1, 2015. Templo Mayor Archaeological Site = Good Times! The Museo del Templo Mayorhas a stunning collection of Aztec artifacts— the best you’ll find anywhere—and they were all dug up from the ruins around the Templo Mayor. Free for Mexican citizens and residents on Sundays. Over time, the temple went through seven different construction stages, with each successive layer making the temple larger, until it reached its maximum height of 200 feet. THECITY.MX | THE OFFICIAL GUIDE TO MEXICO CITY, Designed and Presented by the Mexico City Government, Is there something missing from this page? Let us know here. Fortunately I had the oportunity to visit the ruins of "El Templo Mayor" in Mexico city. The main tower had two teocalli shrines atop and from there, one could stroll down onto all of the most important aspects of the political, religious and economic life of the city. The archaeological site is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and you can see with your own eyes the ruins of the Aztec capital that existed before Cortes and the conquistadors reached Mexican shores. The spir… Its architectural style belongs to the late Postclassic period of Mesoamerica. Birthplace of the Aztec world and capital of the country it is a megacity full of tradition and modernity that has a rich history and culture. The Great Temple, the Templo Mayor, is what many visitors expect to find at the much better attended Museum of Anthropology. The museum is part of the archaeological zone to the north and east of the Metropolitan Cathedral. There is an extra charge for permission to use a video camera. The Temple and other structures you see here were some of the first sights Hernán Cortés and his Spanish travelers saw when they arrived at Tenochtitlannearly 500 years ago. The Templo Mayor itself is an impressive piece of archaeology. There's Evidence of 3 Different Cultures in This Mexico City Plaza, Discover Mexico City's Historical Center on Foot, How to Visit Teotihuacan & the Pyramid of the Sun, The Top 10 Sights & Attractions in Mexico City, 48 Hours in Athens: The Perfect Itinerary, Don't miss a visit to these 10 ancient sites in the Yucatan Peninsula, Your Trip to Mexico City: The Complete Guide, Learn about Mexico's 33 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, Mexico City's Metropolitan Cathedral: The Complete Guide. Audioguides are available in English and Spanish for an extra charge (bring an identification to leave as a guarantee). Suzanne Barbezat is a freelance writer specializing in Mexican travel, culture, and food. Many of them were effigies, clay pots in the image of Tlaloc, skeletons of turtles, frogs, crocodiles, and fish; snail shells, coral, some gold, and alabaster. Mexican archaeologists have discovered, at the archaeological site, a … This is where the most important aspects of Mexica political, religious and economic life took place. It was dedicated simultaneously to Huitzilopochtli, god of war, and Tlaloc, god of rain and agriculture, each of which had a shrine at the top of the pyramid with separate staircases. The on-site Museo del Templo Mayor (included in the site’s admission price) houses a model of Tenochtitlán and artifacts from the site, and gives a good overview of Aztec, aka Mexica, civilization, though with little signage in English, unlike the ruins. In Mexico, what is a Zócalo and why is it called that? All of them are on permanent display. Tlatelolco Archaeological Zone (also known as “The Three Cultures Square”) In the early 1980s, initial excavations uncovered no fewer than 7,000 objects. Museo del Templo Mayor: Archaeological site - See 4,322 traveler reviews, 3,036 candid photos, and great deals for Mexico City, Mexico, at Tripadvisor. The main plaza of Mexico City today was developed to the southwest of this archaeological site. Templo Mayor Museum: buildings, archaeological pieces and codices that belonged to this ancient capital inhabited parts. Each of these pyramids was dedicated to a different god. The Templo Mayor is dedicated just to understanding and exploring the center, and to a great extent, the empire, of Mexico-Tenochtitlán. For those who need a reminder, the Templo Mayor, an active archaeological site just off the Zócalo in the Centro Histórico, is an obligatory visit. Located in the heart of Mexico City's historic neighborhood, Museo del Templo Mayor is an ancient archaeological site, once one of the Aztec people's most important temples. Tourists visit the Templo Mayor archaeological site in Mexico City, Tuesday Dec. 1, 2015. The Templo Mayor museum contains eight exhibit halls that narrate the history of the archaeological site. The temple was called the Huēyi Teōcalli [we:ˈi teoːˈkali] in the Nahuatl language. The Spanish did such a great job of destroying Templo Mayor that no one even knew where it stood until workman stumbled upon the site in 1978. The Templo Mayor museum contains eight exhibit halls that narrate the history of the archaeological site. The Templo Mayor site includes a series of constructions, buildings, pyramids and shrines. A publication of the Archaeological Institute of America. Templo Mayor was one of the main temples of the Aztecs and the archaeological site is located just to the northeast of the zócalo or main plaza of Mexico City, on the corner of Seminario and Justo Sierra streets. This building was designed to exhibit the archaeological findings of the zone that used to be the Main Temple of Mexica peoples. The replica on the left shows how the big stone serpent heads at the Templo Mayor may have been painted. Its architectural style belongs to the late Postclassic period of Mesoamerica. After just two years, they conquered the Aztecs. Mexico City then decided to demolish the colonial-era buildings and excavate the Templo Mayor. Even today, additional archeological sites are being discovered inside Mexico City. Templo Mayor Archaeological Site & Museum. : mex.city@cdmx.gob.mx, Two More Ways to Know You’re Safe in The City, Centro Cultural La Pirámide Luis G. Basurto. Designed by Mexican architect Pedro Ramírez Vázquez, the museum opened on October 12, 1987. It is a worthwhile visit and will put the city's long history into greater context. Hernan Cortes and his men arrived in Mexico in 1519. Closed Monday. The Spaniards then demolished the city and built their own buildings on top of the ruins of the former Aztec capital. Visitors to the site walk over a walkway that was built over the remains of the temple, so they can see sections of the temple's different construction phases, and some of the decorations of the site. Visitors to the museum also get a deep dose of what life in the ancient city was like. Belonging to the postclassical period of Mesoamerica, the temple was dedicated to two Aztec gods: Huitzilopochtli, the god of war, and Tlaloc, the god of rain and architecture. 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