Teotihuacan

Teotihuacan, is an ancient city from 100-750 B.C. The city lies north of present day Mexico City in the Valley of Teotihuacan. It was a major center for agriculture, rituals, and trade. At the highest point of the civilization, Teotihuacan was home to approximately 200,000 people and was one of the largest cities in the world. The city is built around a central axis in a grid formation with one end leading to the 2 mile long ritual site. This site includes the Pyramid of the Sun and the Pyramid of the Moon.


The Pyramid of the Sun is built on top of a four-chambered cave. It is the largest pyramid in the Americas at 705 sq feet and 206 feet tall.

The Pyramid of the Moon is at the end of the central axis and faces south. The temples have a basic construction of taluds (gently sloped base) and tableros (the raised panel).

The residents of the city lived in apartment style homes. The buildings all had rooms that opened off a central courtyard which contained alters and a temple platform. Central rooms in the apartments were dark due to the lack of windows. The courtyards have two steps followed by square piers which support the framed panel. The complexes were surrounded by a high wall and they were only accessible through a single entrance. Although they were not architectural marvels like the pyramids, they provided a good living environment for many of the people.

       












The influence the Meso-American cultures had on design can still be seen today through these pictures of current applications.