9 of the Best Pyramids to Visit in Mexico
Mexico is home to some truly amazing archeological sites — here are nine pyramids to plan your next trip around.
The world is full of ancient wonders — so many that you could spend a lifetime trying to visit them all. But you don’t have to travel far to see some of the best architectural and cultural marvels humans have created. You only need to head south to Mexico to explore its vast, incredible world of ancient civilizations and their pyramids.
You’ve likely heard of the Maya people, who ruled (and still live) in southern Mexico and Central America. You might have also heard of the Aztecs, whose great capital city was the foundation for what is Mexico City today. Their iconic cities like Chichén Itzá and Tenochtitlan are among the most famous attractions in Mexico. But Mexico has been home to so many other Indigenous civilizations, and all left an indelible mark on the archaeological and cultural history of the country. Today, Mexico is home to more than 16 million Indigenous people represented across 68 ethnolinguistic groups. All of these groups have made an impact on modern-day Mexico, but the pyramids in particular are extremely impressive.
MEET THE EXPERT
Dr. Edwin Barnhart is the director of the Maya Exploration Center. He received a Ph.D. from the University of Texas at Austin Anthropology Department in 2001 and has over 30 years of experience as an archeologist.
“The Maya and the Aztecs are the two most people know about, but you can’t ignore all these other wonderful cultures that existed and also built pyramids, some of which were the foundation of what the Maya did,” said Dr. Edwin Barnhart, director of the Maya Exploration Center.
The Olmec culture is considered in many ways to be the “mother culture” of Mesoamerica. The Olmec civilization lasted from around 1200 B.C.E. to around 400 B.C.E., and they were the ones to build the first big cities. As early as 1500 B.C.E., the Maya had settled in villages around Mesoamerica. The Classic Period of the Maya civilization lasted from about 250 C.E. until about 900 C.E. The Zapotec civilization had its empire between 700 B.C.E. and 1521 C.E., and Zapotec people still live primarily in and around the state of Oaxaca.
El Castillo, Chichén Itzá, Yucatán
Let’s start with perhaps the most famous pyramid in Mexico: El Castillo in Chichén Itzá. Chichén Itzá is one of the most famous Maya cities in the world, and at its center is the spectacular nine-stepped pyramid, El Castillo. A feat of engineering and an astronomical marvel, the pyramid was designed so that each year on the equinoxes, the sunlight would create the shadowy illusion of a snake descending each of the pyramid’s steps. The equinoxes are the most popular times to visit Chichén Itzá, so expect huge crowds and a very enthusiastic atmosphere.
How to Visit: The roads to Chichén Itzá are very well-maintained. Most tourists come on a day trip from Cancún or the Riviera Maya, and many tour companies offer round-trip transportation and guided tours. You can also drive yourself, as the roads are safe and well-marked.
Temple of the Inscriptions, Palenque, Chiapas
One of the lesser-visited archaeological sites in Mexico is the city of Palenque, buried deep in the thick jungles of the southern state of Chiapas. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is what remains of a stunning Maya city, which peaked between 500 and 700 C.E. One of the most important Maya cities, Palenque’s most famous temple is the Temple of the Inscriptions, a massive stone temple known for its hieroglyphs.
“The Temple of the Inscriptions was one of the only Maya temples that was built to house a tomb, the tomb of Pakal [Palenque’s most famous ruler],” said Barnhart. “His pyramid had this amazing 20-ton sarcophagus with images of him falling into the underworld on the top. His body was covered with jewelry and gifts, and it was one of the first discoveries that told us that the Maya had these treasures.”
How to Visit: Most visitors come as backpackers via the ADO bus system, which has a broad network throughout Southern Mexico. Now, however, with the launch of the Tren Maya, it’s getting easier for visitors to access, particularly as there is a train stop in Palenque.
Pyramid of the Sun and Pyramid of the Moon, Teotihuacán, State of Mexico
Taking a quick trip away from the Maya world and up to the Valley of Mexico puts us in the heart of Teotihuacán. No one knows for sure who built Teotihuacán, as it shows evidence of Toltec, Totonac, Maya, Mixtec, and Zapotec cultures. One of the largest ancient cities in the Americas, it was built about 1,000 years before the arrival of the Aztecs. Today it is most famous for its two main pyramids: the Pyramid of the Sun and the Pyramid of the Moon.
How to Visit: Teotihuacán is about an hour from Mexico City and makes a popular day trip for visitors. It’s best visited as part of a tour so you can have the expertise of a guide.
Great Pyramid of Cholula, Cholula, Puebla
While you’re visiting Mexico City, you may want to take the two-hour trip out to the “magical town” of Cholula, a suburb of Puebla. This beautiful, historic city is most famous for the canary-yellow church that sits atop a hill. Except, it’s not a hill at all; the church is sitting on top of the largest pyramid in the world.
A clear example of colonialism, the Spanish built their Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de los Remedios on top of the pyramid, and the church still stands today. But what remains of the pyramid is the monumental mound that alludes to its great size and power. The temple was built between the 3rd century B.C.E. through the 9th century C.E., and dedicated to the Aztec god, Quetzalcoatl. Its base is 984 by 1,033 feet, with a height of 82 feet — making it the largest in the world by volume, even larger than the Great Pyramid in Giza.
How to Visit: Cholula is just outside the main city of Puebla and is easily reached by car.
Pyramid of the Magician, Uxmal, Yucatán
The Maya people never had one central capital. Instead, they operated with autonomous city-states. One of their “capitals” was the city of Uxmal, located outside modern-day Mérida, and its most famous pyramid is the Pyramid of the Magician.
“The site at Uxmal was at its height for only 150 years,” said Barnhart, “and it has a different look. It does not have those terraces going up the sides. It’s got a smooth outside that goes up to a superstructure, and its sides are curving. It’s like the design of a common Maya house in the Yucatán.”
Legends swirl around the creation of the pyramid, including one that says the structure was built in a single night by a magical man, born from an egg to a witch. He constructed the pyramid in one night to challenge the current king and became king of Uxmal himself, hence the name “Pyramid of the Magician.” (Of course, as is the case with many legends, the specifics depend on who is telling the story.)
How to Visit: Uxmal is a day trip from Mérida. Several tour companies offer guided tours, or you can take a taxi or drive yourself an hour to the archaeological zone.
Structure 2, Calakmul, Campeche
One of the most impressive and important Maya sites is also among the least visited. That site is Calakmul — a rival to the massive city of Tikal in Guatemala — shrouded by the thick jungles of the state of Campeche within the Calakmul Biosphere Reserve.
A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Calakmul was a hugely important city for more than 1,200 years. Excavations have revealed gorgeous stucco friezes and mural paintings, as well as burial chambers for kings and nobility. Structure 2 at Calakmul is one of the tallest Maya pyramids in the world, standing at 148 feet. Four tombs have been located within the pyramid, as well.
How to Visit: Calakmul is more challenging to visit, but not impossible. It requires a drive through southern Yucatán, so you will need to either rent a car or hire a guide to take you.
El Torre, Ek Balam, Yucatán
On the way to Chichén Itzá is another lesser-known Maya site called Ek Balam. This Maya city, just outside of the modern-day Spanish-influenced city of Valladolid, was at its height between 700 and 1000 C.E., though it operated for more than 1,000 years. Only the center of Ek Balam has been excavated, with 45 structures mapped out.
El Torre, also known as The Tower, is one of the largest Maya structures in the region, measuring more than 500 feet long, 200 feet wide, and 100 feet tall. Its inscriptions are not carved into the rock like other pyramids. Instead, the creators used stucco and limestone to shape beautiful imagery. El Torre also houses the tomb of Ukit Kan Lek Tok, one of the rulers of the city.
“The Tower is one of the few you can still climb, but its real claim to fame is the stucco facade about halfway up the pyramid. It’s called the ‘White Reading House’ based on the hieroglyphs, and archaeologists think it was a royal library. The doorway is carved like the mouth of a monster, with a lower jaw with teeth and an upper jaw. In the eyes are sitting full human figures, called the Ek Balam Angels. It’s probably one of the best pieces of Maya art in the entire world,” said Barnhart.
How to Visit: Ek Balam is about two hours from the Riviera Maya, and about 25 miles north of Valladolid. It is becoming more popular with tour groups, but visitors can also drive themselves.
Pyramids at Monte Albán, Oaxaca, Oaxaca
Up in the hills about 10 minutes from downtown Oaxaca is one of the most beautiful archaeological sites in Mexico. Monte Albán was inhabited for more than 15 centuries by various Indigenous groups, including the Olmecs, Zapotecs, and Mixtecs, and for 1,300 years, Monte Albán was the capital of the Zapotec world. These groups built impressive terraces, dams, canals, and pyramids, many of which still exist today.
Within the complex are many different pyramids, which today look like raised platforms topped by temples. The beauty of Monte Albán is the many different structures that visitors can wander around, walking in the footsteps of the remarkable people who lived here centuries ago. Surrounding Monte Albán are gorgeous views of the mountains and Oaxaca city below.
How to Visit: Monte Albán is easy to reach from Oaxaca by bus or taxi.
Pyramid of the Niches, El Tajín, Veracruz
One of the most unique and breathtaking archaeological sites in Mexico is the site of El Tajín, located in Veracruz. Its creators are still unknown, but experts theorize it was built by the Totonac and Huastec Indigenous peoples. Eventually, the Aztecs took control of the region around 1200 C.E.
The Pyramid of the Niches, though short in stature, is a true work of art. It is made up of six platforms, each one marked with niches that were likely used like a calendar.
How to Visit: The site of El Tajín is remote. The closest city is Veracruz along the Gulf Coast. From there, it is a four-hour drive to the archaeological site. Tour operators offer full-day trips to the ruins.
