Remnants of the Meso-american Era

Mexico is home to several interesting tourist spots including those that are the remains of a past long gone: the Meso-American era where civilizations such as the Aztec and the Mayan (for whom the Grupo Mayan firm is named) civilizations.

At some point in time, the Aztec, Mayan and the Olmec civilizations flourished and had settlements in the central and southern part of the country of Mexico. Over time, these civilizations dwindled or were subdued, especially when Spanish conquistadores started arriving from Europe and invaded the land. Nowadays, these civilizations vanished but not without leaving behind ruins that offer us a look at a past when these people were prominent in the Mexican land.

There are many ruins of the pre-Hispanic era that can be viewed today in Mexico. Some of these ruins are:

Malinalco. In the present day town of Malinalco, you can find the ruins of Cuauhtinchan. Cuauhtinchan is a temple constructed by the Mexica emperor Ahuizotl. It served as an initiation site for warriors during the pre-Hispanic age. Cuauhtinchan is distinct for being one of the 5 monolithic temples that can be found in the whole world.

Chichen-Itza. This archeological site, which has been declared as part of the New Seven Wonders of the World, is located in Yucatan, Mexico. It is a Mayan structure, and served as a regional focal point during Mesoamerican times. Chichen-Itza is notable for having structures made in Central Mexican architectural style, which is thought to have blended into Mayan architecture due to cultural diffusion.

Tulum. The ruins in Tulum depict a walled city that served as an important port during pre-Hispanic times. It was built by peoples from the Maya civilization. The place shows remnants and relics of Mayan art, as several buildings inside the city compound show fresco murals in their walls both in their interior and exterior parts. It is one of the Maya ruins that have had a high degree of preservation.

Monte Alban. Monte Alban is what remains of one of the earliest cities in Mesoamerica. For a thousand years, it held importance among the many Mesoamerican cities by neing a socio-political and economic center. The ruins are located in Oaxaca, southern Mexico. It is situated in a low mountainous range in the Valley of Oaxaca, and is only 9 kilometers west of the state capital.

Teotihuacan. Teotihuacan is one of the largest Mesoamerican ruins in Mexico. It features large pyramids, the largest built in pre-Columbian America. It also has a large residential complex which has been dubbed the “street of the dead.” Unlike the other ruins, no one has yet come up with conclusive evidence of which civilization inhabited Teotihuacan although it has been suggested as major multiethnic city during its peak.

The ruins of Teotihuacan can be found in the municipality of San Juan Teotihuacan, state of Mexico. From the capital of Mexico City, one only needs to drive 40 kilometers northeast to access the 83 square kilometer site which has been declared as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

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Article Source: ArticlesBase.com