Mexiko – land of pyramids

26 Jul 2012 8

When you hear pyramids as a European, you don’t think about Mexico first.

But you should!

Mesoamerican peoples built countless glorified piles of rocks over the millennia.

Above all, the Mayans, e.g. in Tikal:
(about 80,000 inhabitants around 800 AD)

My biggest pyramids were also the oldest.

They were built by the inhabitants of Teotihuacan:
(about 150,000 inhabitants around 450 AD)

My favorite pyramid is small, but round: the pyramid of the magician.

It was built by the Maya at Uxmal:
(about 15,000 inhabitants around 900 AD)

More beautiful than a pyramid is a pyramid on a panoramic hill.

As in Monte Alban, built by the Zapotecs:
(about 17,000 inhabitants around 0 AD)

Even better is a pyramid at the sea.

As in Tulum, built by the Mayans:
(1,500 inhabitants around 1200 AD)

The pyramids in the former island capital of the Aztecs were sure to be beautiful.

Unfortunately, Tenochtitlan was completely destroyed by the Spaniards. You can still see some remains today in Mexico City, e.g. when changing the metro.
(about 200,000 inhabitants at 1521 AD)

Mexico’s wonder of the world is colorful at the evening light show.

Chichen Itza was built by the Mayans.
(about 50,000 residents around 900 AD)

It doesn’t always have to be pyramids.

In Palenque, the Maya left a beautiful tower.
(about 5,000 residents around 700 AD)

Palaces and arches are also beautiful

In Kabah, built by the Maya Puuc
(around 900 AD)

In all Mayan cities, there were stadiums for a rubber ball game.

The forerunner of basketball?

The masons were also decorating things.
 

But most of it broke down in more than 1,000 years of neglect.
 

My “What the Fuck!” moment was in Tikal. You go up on a rickety wooden stairs to the Templo IV.

First thing on top, you fetch your breath. Suddenly, the jungle is below and a breathtaking view in front.

Pyramid climbing is my new favorite sport. For lack of shape, especially the descent.

I would have very much liked to see El Mirador. El Mirador was one of the oldest and largest Maya cities. Tikal’s main square fits completely into the largest pyramid in El Mirador!

So why didn’t I go? The city has been overgrown by the jungle for 2,000 years. Today, you can only get there by walking through the jungle of Guatemala.

I did not have one week of time for that. Next time!!

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1. Pyramid guessing game in Teotihuacan
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4. Spaniards in Mexico

by Florian Blümm   Chichen-itza, Yucatán, Mexiko   Images, World Tour   Mexiko, Mittelalter, Natur, Ruine  

8 comments to Mexiko – land of pyramids

• Seiltanz

  26. July, 2012 at 8:47

  Was für tolle Bilder!

• Peter Eich

  26. July, 2012 at 10:17

  Weißt du eigentlich, dass Flocutus das neue und bessere GEO ist ;)

• Yvette

  26. July, 2012 at 14:29

  Wow, I need to get to Mexico! Funny how you never explore things in your own backyard (or at least I didn’t, SE Asia was harder to get to so I went there instead of Central America) but guess it’s now an exotic location for me too. :)

  Just wondering, how was safety during your time in Mexico? Lots of coverage of the infighting due to the drug gangs etc in the USA lately for obvious reasons painting most of the country in very bad light, but I imagine it can’t be like that everywhere.

• floc

  26. July, 2012 at 23:49

  Thanks, the pictures almost shot themselves (-;

  @Yvette:
  I know nothing about my backyard. If you go on inviting me to Amsterdam, I’ll have to visit one day!

  Everyone was warning me about safety in Mexico, especially Mexico City. That’s the only place, where I stayed in after dark. And I probably shouldn’t have.

  The drug wars are in the north, near the U.S. border. The south and especially Yucatan seem very safe.

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