Templo Mayor
Name of Building
Town or City, Country where the building was originally established
Date the building was designed and/or first built
1487: Final version built.
1521: Destroyed during the Spanish conquest of Tenochtitlan.
1978: Rediscovered when workers found the Coyolxauhqui stone.
1987: Templo Mayor Museum opened.
Name of Architect, Builder, or Primary Patron Responsible
Culturally Specific Time Period
Geo-Location
Materials
- Wooden Beams
- Stone
- Color pigments
Size and/or Scale of Building
- The base is around 100 by 80 meters.
- 3 acres of land.
Architectural Type
Formal Style
Building Description
The Templo Mayor in Mexico City stands as the excavated remains of the principal sacred pyramid of ancient Tenochtitlan, once the spiritual and ceremonial heart of the Aztec Empire. Initially, it was a towering stepped pyramid adorned with twin temples dedicated to the gods Huitzilopochtli and Tlaloc. Its construction involved successive layers that progressively ascended in height with each reconstruction. Today, the site reveals exposed stone platforms, staircases, shrines, and offerings that showcase centuries of religious activity. It stands as an open air archaeological site in the historic center of mexico city. Its surrounding museum displays many of the extraordinary objects uncovered during excavation, allowing visitors to understand the temple’s importance as the heart of Aztec ritual life and a defining symbol of pre-Hispanic Mexico. Walkways and elevated platforms help the visitors over the ruins, offering close views of the ancient staircase, stone remains, sculpted heads of serpents, and ceremonial platforms that wreak havoc all associated with the original temple and altars. The ground is uneven with reddish and gray volcanic stone.
Image source
Creative Commons or other copyright information
Student First and Last Name
Bibliographic references for the item
- Templo Mayor Museum (Historic Center)”. https://www.expedia.com/Templo‑Mayor‑Museum‑Historic‑Center.d501757.Vacation‑Attraction (Accessed: 10 December 2025).
- Dr. Lauren Kilroy‑Ewbank & Dr. Steven Zucker (2015) “Templo Mayor at Tenochtitlan: the Coyolxauhqui Stone and an Olmec mask”, Smarthistory. https://smarthistory.org/templo-mayor-at-tenochtitlan-the-coyolxauhqui-stone-and-an-olmec-mask/
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