Guest Author - Elizabeth Bissette

Teotihuacán was at one time the center of a civilization that flourished over most of Mesoamerica, (from 150-450 AD). During this time, there may have been as many as 200,000 people living there. The city is very ancient, (pre-Columbian). This name, which means, "the place where men become Gods", was given to it by the Aztec, hundreds of years after it fell.

It's original name has been lost, but a very ancient symbol representing the city has been translated as, "the place of the precious sacrifice". It was also called Tollan in ancient times, a name used hundreds of years later by the Toltec for their capital.

Archaeological evidence suggests that Teotihuacan was a place where many races and cultures lived together. These include Zapotec, Mixtec, Maya and Nahua peoples. According to legends, this was the place where the Gods came together to plan the creation of humankind. How appropriate that it then became a place, at least for a time, where many types of people lived together.

There are many famous pyramids there. Building there began around 300 BC, and the Pyramid of the Sun, (the second largest pyramid in the Americas) was completed by 150 BC. A central road runs through it, called "Avenue of the Dead". This avenue is flanked by the Pyramid of the Sun and other astonishing temples and palaces, including the Pyramid of the Moon and the Temple of Quetzalcoatl or Temple of the Feathered Serpent.

The Pyramid of the Sun is built over what is probably a sacred cave and was dedicated to Tlaloc, the god of rain. The Pyramid of the Moon was dedicated to Tlaloc´s female conterpart, Chalchihuitlicue, the goddess of lakes and streams. This temple was also as a burial site for important people.

Even when the city was a ruin, it remained sacred, and still is. It was a place of pilgrimage for the Aztecs, who believed it was Tollan, the place where the sun was created. It remains one of the most popular attractions for visitors to Mexico.