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Time for Teotihuacan...

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THE ANCIENT CITY OF TEOTIHUACAN lies just north of Mexico-City and must be one of the history's greatest mysteries.

At its zenith, around the year 450, Teotihuacan must have been the greatest city in the Americas, maybe even in the world.

But we know so little about it. Who built it? And when? And why was it suddenly abandonned in the 7th century?

Anyway, the site contains some of the largest pyramidal structures built in the pre-Columbian Americas. Apart from the pyramids, Teotihuacan is also known for its residential complexes, the Avenue of the Dead, and numerous colorful murals.

The name Teotihuacan comes from the ancient language of the Azteks, for whom this was some kind of sacred ground. The name that they gave to the site has been translated as "the birthplace of the gods", but also this translation is quite uncertain.

One of the few certainties is that the city's original inhabitants must have called this city (and, indeed, their whole civilization) by another name.

We know so little...

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THE PYRAMID OF THE SUN is the largest building in Teotihuacán. Found along the Avenue of the Dead, in between the Pyramid of the Moon and the Ciudadela, the pyramid is part of a large complex in the heart of the city.

The name again comes from the Aztecs, who visited this site centuries after it was abandoned. The original name and fucntion of the pyramid remain unknown.

The pyramid was built in the first century AC, the alter that was built atop was probably added later.

Measuring 225 meters across and 75 meters high, this is the third largest pyramid in the world, being only slightly smaller than Great Pyramid of Giza, but much smaller than the Great Pyramid of Cholula (450 meters) which lies in total ruin near Puebla. The latter, however, in in total ruins.

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