Overview:

Templo Mayor (or Great Temple) is an Aztec temple complex located in the heart of Mexico City. The site dates back to 1325 and served as the spiritual center of the Aztecs. The temple grew in stature over the centuries, making it one of the most important structures in pre-Columbian Mesoamerica. It housed several religious buildings, including a shrine dedicated to the Aztec war god Huitzilopochtli. The complex was discovered in 1978 following extensive excavations and it is now a popular tourist site, complete with a museum and interpretive displays. It is one of the most beautiful monuments in Mexico
Prominent Features:

City 1. Main Shrine: The Templo Mayor was the ceremonial and religious center of the Aztec empire, located at the site that is now the main plaza of Mexico City. It featured a large main shrine dedicated to the Aztec god of rain, Tlaloc, and the patron goddess of the Aztec people, Huitzilopochtli. 2. Twin Pyramids: The Templo Mayor consisted of two large stepped pyramids, reaching a height of nearly eight meters. They stood side-by-side, separated by a street of seven steps that divided the temple into two sections. 3. Platforms: The stairways leading up to both pyramids were flanked by two rectangular platforms, one on each side. These platforms had low platforms that served as altars for human sacrifices or offerings. 4. Oracle Display: An oracle was set up on the top of the temple between the two pyramids. It consisted of a large stone head from which the priests could determine the responses to the questions of the people. 5. Statues: Two five-meter tall stone statues of warriors, as well as statues of other Aztec gods, stood atop the twin pyramids. 6. Nahuatl Language Script: The temple was decorated with hieroglyphic writing from the Nahuatl language—the language spoken by the Aztecs. They wrote a variety of messages on the temple walls, including prophecies about the future of their empire. You can learn history, culture, and heritage through these magnificent monuments in Mexico.

History:

City The Templo Mayor is one of the most important archaeological sites in Mexico City. This ancient ceremonial center of the Aztec people was built around 1325 C.E., during the reign of Ahuitzotl, the 8th ruler of the Aztec Triple Alliance. Its original name was Taytaltolco, meaning "royal house," and it was used as the main temple of the Aztecs, devoted to the worship of their main deities: Huitzilopochtli and Tlaloc. The Templo Mayor was located at the center of what is now Mexico City. It was a very elaborate and important structure, marking the political, economic, and spiritual center of the city. Its foundation is believed to have the form of a coiled serpent, and various temples and structures were built on top of this foundation, each one dedicated to a different god. At the height of its existence, the Templo Mayor was filled with opulent decorations, along with priceless artifacts, and even artwork created from precious gems and stones. The site also housed the most important Aztec library, containing manuscripts and scrolls with religious, political and cultural information. The Templo Mayor was destroyed by the Spanish in 1521, and a large part of it has been lost to time. However, in 1978, there was an archaeological excavation of the site which revealed the remains of numerous Aztec artifacts, including sculptures, carvings, and pieces of pottery. These artifacts are now on display at the Templo Mayor Museum. Visit one of the famous monuments of Mexico with your friends and family.

Interesting facts:

1. Templo Mayor was one of the most important temples of the Aztec Empire. It served as an important religious and political center for the Aztec people, who built the original structure in 1325. 2. The Templo Mayor was dedicated to the Aztec god Huitzilopochtli and Tlaloc, the god of rain and fertility. 3. The Templo Mayor was the location of some of the Aztec Empire’s most important rituals and ceremonies. 4. It was constructed in the center of the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan, located in the present-day city of Mexico City. 5. The Temlo Mayor was mostly destroyed during the Spanish conquest of Mexico in 1521. 6. After the Spanish conquest, the Templo Mayor was abandoned until the 19th century when it was discovered by an accident. 7. In 1978, the site was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. 8. Restoration of the Templo Mayor began in 1978 and continues to this day. 9. One of the most fascinating archaeological objects to be discovered at the site of the Templo Mayor is the Stone of Tizoc, a monolith with 56 relief carvings which tell the story of a great battle the Aztecs won. One of the historical monuments of Mexico, it tells the story of a bygone era