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Templo Mayor, Aztec Temple in Mexico City
Templo Mayor - The Main Aztec Temple
Templo Mayor in Tenochtitlan (now Mexico City), the main temple of the Aztecs, was a place to make offerings to the
god of war, Huitzilopochtli, and the god of rain and agriculture, Tlaloc. The stepped pyramid had a shrine to each of
these gods at the top, accessed by staircases. The original temple was built around 1325, but was destroyed and
rebuilt six times. The temple has been constructed in the style of the late Postclassic period of Mesoamerica.
Some historians say that the Mayor temple was partly a symbolic representation of the Hill of Coatepec, mythological
place of the birth of Huitzilopochtli. According to the Mexican myth, Huitzilopochtli was born as a completely grown
warrior replete with arms from the womb of his mother Coatlicue. He was born to fight against his sister Coyolxauhqui
and her brothers the Centzon Huitznahua who wanted to kill him and their mother. Huitzilopochtli was triumphant,
dismembering his sister. He threw her body to the bottom of the hill. The southern half of the Mayor temple symbolized
Coatepec, and the big stone disk with Coyolxauhqui’s dismembered body was discovered at the foot of this side of the
temple.
The Great Aztec Temple saw many human sacrifices, and was soon destroyed by Spanish colonists in 1521. The
Spanish took over the city as they colonized, building their colony over the ruins.
On 25th February 1978, when the workers for the electric company were digging at a place called the 'island of the
dogs', over two meters down they discovered a pre-Hispanic stone. The stone was found to have been dated to the
end of the 15th century. The embossment on the stone represented Coyolxauhqui, the moon goddess. The temple
measures 100 by 80 m (328 by 262 ft) at its base.
The site consists of two divisions, first the temple along with its developmental process while the other has allied
buildings and a museum. The objects found during the excavation are now displayed in the Templo Mayor museum.
Many of the items displayed in the museum are believed to be offerings, from stones and sculptures to human remains.
Facts about Templo Mayor, Aztec Temple in Mexico City
Templo Mayor was constructed in 1325.
The archaeological site of Templo Mayor has become a UNESCO World Heritage Site in
1987.
The temple's name was huei teocalli in Nahuatl language.
Where is Templo Mayor, Aztec Temple in Mexico City ?
The Aztec capital was Tenochtitlan, which later became Mexico City. Templo Mayor was the main temple of the Aztec
capital, in the main plaza of the city, in the Historic Center of Mexico City. The temple’s location is said to be where
Huitzilopochtli, the god of war, told the Mexica people that they had found the promised land. You can reach the
Templo Mayor Aztec Temple by approx. 20 minutes drive from the Aeropuerto Internacional Benito Juárez, Peñón de
Los Baños, Venustiano Carranza, Mexico City, Mexico.
Best time to visit Templo Mayor, Aztec Temple in Mexico City
The dry season in Mexico City lasts from November to April, and spring tends to have warm pleasant weather. It is
best to avoid rain when visiting because the ruins are outside, although the museum can be visited any time of year.
Templo Mayor, Aztec Temple in Mexico City Hours
Templo Mayor opens from Tuesdays to Sundays from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.
Templo Mayor, Aztec Temple in Mexico City Tickets
The ticket to the temple costs $57 MXP (Mexican Pesos). It includes the entry to both the museum and the
archaeological site. Children under 13, students, teachers and senior citizens presenting a valid ID are allowed free
entry. On Sundays the entry is free for all the visitors.
More on Templo Mayor, Aztec Temple in Mexico City
Nearby attractions: National Museum of Anthropology (Aztec Calendar Stone), Zocalo and the National Palace.
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