Looney Lougees: Cholula!

For my birthday, we decided to take a trip to Cholula, Puebla. We went to the Great Pyramid of Cholula also known as Tlachihualtepetl (Nahuatl for "made-by-hand mountain") It is the largest archaeological site of a pyramid (temple) in the New World, as well as the largest pyramid known to exist in the world today. The pyramid stands 180 feet around the surrounding plain and measured 1,300 by 1.300 feet. The style of the pyramid has been linked closely to that of the Teotihuacan pyramids. Excavations have resulted in about eight kilometers of tunnels inside the pyramid, which began with two in 1931 to prove that the hill was an archeological find. Within, altars with offerings, floors, walls and buried human remains from around 900 AD were discovered. Today, only about 800 meters of these tunnels are open to the public, which have been made into well-lit, arched passages. Because of the historic and religious significance of the church, which is a designated colonial monument, the pyramid as a whole has not been excavated and restored, as have the smaller but better-known pyramids at Teotihuacan. If you are claustrophobic at all then this would not be a fun trip for you. It is very tight and has a fairly low ceiling. It wasn't to much of an issue for me, because I'm short, but Gary had to duck quite a bit and all the while carrying Aurora which took a toll on his back by the end of the tour.

Beginning of the tour

Off to the side of the main trail you see where they dug up and found the original steps of the Pyramid.

Here is another shot of more original steps.

Here is a picture of just how cramped it is as we walked down the path.

Another view of the stairs.

Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de los Remedios (Church of Our Lady of Remedies)

When we came out we paid a tour guide to show us around.

This is the courtyard of Altars where they would of done religious ceremonies. The area was mostly likely used for large, spectacular ceremonies as well as for rites associated with the passing of power.

Under this metal roof is the largest pre-Columbian mural discovered in Mexico, with a total length of 187 ft. Unfortunately, this is as close as you can get. Stupid people have destroyed some of it so they have it blocked off now. I was disappointed, because I really wanted to see it.

There is a small section of this Pyramid that is original, but the rest was designed by the archeologists who went about reconstructing this structure, using commercially made cement, leading to the structure being called the Tolteca pyramid, after the brand used.