Mexico Top Ten - Day 01

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1 Mexico Top Ten - Day 01 Name: Xochicalco Address: Morelos, Unidad Habitacional José María Morelos y Pavón, MOR, Mexic Alternative Name: - Contact Details: (01 737) Map Data Terms of Use Report a map error Entry Information: Located approx 23km south of the city of Site Direction: Located approx 23km south of the city of Cuernavaca. Description Xochicalco is an important pre-columbian site in Mexico, listed by UNESCO for its well-preserved ruins dating from an important period in Mesoamerican history. At Xochicalco s peak between 650AD and 900AD - during the Epiclassic period - the Mesoamerican world was in great flux, with places like Tikal, Teotihuacan and Palenque being broken up. As such, this city s ruins are seen to represent the coming together of several cultures. Xochicalco s impressive hierarchy of ruins includes a ball court, a palace, temples, monuments and homes, all carefully arranged amid terraces, plazas and ramps to great effect. Notes

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3 Mexico Top Ten - Day 01 Name: Monte Alban Address: Monte Alban, Oaxaca, Mexico Alternative Name: - Contact Details: Entry Information: Monte Alban is open daily. Entry costs around 50 Pesos. Site Direction: Monte Alban is located around 7km southwest of Oaxaca, the capital of the state in Mexico by the same name. Organised tours are available or it can be reached by taxi. Tourist buses run to Monte Alban from Oaxaca - outside the Hotel Rivera del Ángel (518 Francisco Javier Mina) - and cost approx 40 pesos. Description Monte Alban in Oaxaca in Mexico is an impressive ancient site created by an incredible feat which involved carving a flat space out of a mountain rising to an elevation of over 1,600 feet above the valley below it. Monte Alban was inhabited for approximately 1,500 years by a succession of civilisations, including the Olmecs, Zapotecs and Mixtecs and, at its peak, had a population of around 25,000 people. The earliest inhabitants of Monte Alban were the Olmecs, who are credited with the over 140 carved stones known as the monument of Los Danzantes, depicting mutilated figures. There has been much debate over what these figures represent. Los Danzantes means dancers, but it has since been posited that these were actually war prisoners. However, whilst Olmec contributions remain, most of the structures found at Monte Alban today were built by the Zapotecs, who are thought to have arrived between 800 BC and 500 BC. Construction continued over the centuries and was later influenced by the culture of Teotihuacan.

4 Monte Alban is characterised by over 2,200 terraces as well as numerous pyramid structures, large staircases, ornate palaces, elaborate tombs and even a ball court known as Juego de Pelota, mostly arranged on its Grand Plaza. The ball court is very well-preserved, made up of two facing stepped platforms with the playing field in the centre. The ball games played were ritualistic and often ended in the death of the losers. In approximately 800 AD, the Zapotecs were threatened by the Mixtecs and fortified Monte Alban before being driven out. The Mixtecs took over the site and, in around 1400 AD, started burying their leaders in the Zapotec tombs. Whilst many of these ornately decorated tombs were looted, vast riches were found in one particular tomb Tomb 7 which can now been seen at Museo Regional de Oaxaca. Some tombs are open to visitors, although this is sporadic. Today, Monte Alban is a popular tourist destination and a UNESCO World Heritage site. It has a small on-site museum showing some of the finds from excavations of Monte Alban. Notes

5 Mexico Top Ten - Day 01 Name: Uxmal Address: Uxmal, nr. Muna, Yucatan, Mexico Alternative Name: - Contact Details: Contact local tourist office Entry Information: Uxmal is open daily, 8am-5pm. Entry costs 85 Pesos (110 Pesos with the light show). Site Direction: Uxmal is located in Mexico s Yucatán state, not far south of the small city of Muna and around 80km south of Merida along Highway 18 (longer along Highway 261). Description Uxmal is an archaeological site in Mexico which houses the ruins of a Maya town thought to have been inhabited as early as 800BC. Having said this, most of the buildings and structures seen at Uxmal today were constructed in between around 700AD to 1000AD. A thriving city and a religious centre with great ceremonial significance, at its peak Uxmal had a population of around 25,000 people. Uxmal was abandoned in 1200AD and then inhabited by the Yiu, who would later join the Mayapan League with Chichen Itza. The layout of the town of Uxmal is one of its most interesting aspects, having been carefully aligned to fit with concepts of astronomy, offering an insight into the beliefs and culture of the Mayas who lived there. Uxmal was also quite advanced in its use of hydraulic systems to gather water up to the hill or Puuc on which it was set. Like other ancient cities in Mexico, Uxmal has a series of ceremonial pyramids the most celebrated of which is the Pyramid of the Soothsayer. Translated as Pyramide el Adivino and sometimes known as the House of the Magician, the Pyramid of the Soothsayer is an impressive 100-foot high monument dating back to the Late Classic Period. It is flanked by several temples, which were built over time, although legend has it that this pyramid took just one night to complete. Sadly, the pyramid cannot be climbed by tourists.

6 Beyond this well-known monument, Uxmal has several other impressive structures. The Governor's Palace (Palacio del Gobernador) is one such example, it being completely symmetrical and ornately decorated with depictions of astronomy symbols as well as of the rain god, Chaac. This is near the Casa de las Tortugas or The House of the Tortoises which is a simple yet pretty building. Also at Uxmal is the Quadrangle of the Nuns, also called The Nunnery or Cuadrangulo de las Monjas which is comprised of four stone buildings neatly surrounding a courtyard and, like the Governor's Palace, is resplendent with religious artwork. Built at a similar time to the Nunnery and like the one in the city of El Tajin, Uxmal has a ball court, where its citizens would have participated in games. Uxmal is now a UNESCO World Heritage site and also has a small museum. Organised tours from Merida can last a whole day and include sites such as Kabah. Audio guides are available in several languages for an added fee. Notes

7 Mexico Top Ten - Day 01 Name: Museo Casa de Hidalgo Address: Museo Casa Hidalgo Morelos, 1. Centro Dolores Hidalgo Guanajuato Alternative Name: Hidalgo Museum House Contact Details: Entry Information: Museo Casa Hidalgo is open Tues Sat: 10am 5.45pm. Sunday: 9am 4.45pm. Entry costs M$49.00 for adults. Free entry for children under 13, teachers and senior citizens. Site Direction: The museum is in the centre of the town of Dolores Hidalgo. It is just a couple of blocks from the bus station, in the direction of the central plaza. The town is easily accessible by bus from nearby towns like Guanajuato and San Miguel de Allende. Buses into Dolores Hidalgo arrive at the Flecha Amarilla terminal, just by the river. Description Museo Casa de Hidalgo, which is housed in a large late eighteenth-century building, was the dwelling place of Father Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla. The Creole priest, who lived in the town of Dolores in the early nineteenth century, is widely viewed as the Father of Independence in Mexico. The house has now been turned into a museum devoted to his life. In 1810, Hidalgo y Costilla was living in the small parish of Dolores. The priest had been rector of the prestigious college of San Nicolás in Valladolid (now Morelia), but he had had fallen foul of the Royal authorities, both for his interest in Enlightenment ideas and due to his distinctly non-celibate personal life. Hidalgo y Costilla, who lived openly with the mother of his two children, was subsequently assigned by his bishop to Dolores near Querétaro, where he worked among Indians and mestizos (people of mixed Indian and Spanish origin). In 1810, in the wake of Napoleon s invasion of Spain and the fragmentation of Royal authority across Spanish America, Hidalgo y Costilla joined a conspiracy of

8 wealthy creoles to set up a revolutionary junta. On the night of 15 September 1810, he and some of his fellow conspirators, warned by messengers from Querétaro that their intention to raise a rebellion against the Spanish had been discovered, decided to bring the plan forward. At dawn on 16 September, Hidalgo, tolling the church bell, addressed his parishioners from the church balcony, calling for a general uprising against the Spanish. His speech ended in the Grito de Independencia (Cry of Independence): Méxicanos, Viva Mexico! (Mexicans! Long live Mexico!). He issued his cry in the name of Fernando VII (the Spanish monarch deposed by Napoleon) and the Virgin of Guadalupe. Hidalgo s Independence rebellion, whose goals included the abolition of the Indian tribute, was markedly different from other risings across Spanish America because it came from outside the Creole elite. Although he was executed by the Royalists in March 1811, before Mexican Independence from Spain became a reality, he now occupies a legendary position in the Mexican collective imagination. At midnight on 15 September, his cry is repeated every year by the president in Mexico City and by politicians all over the country, as the starting point for Independence Day celebrations; 16 September also remains the one day of the year when the bell in Dolores Hidalgo s parish church is rung. Among then museum s exhibits are numerous written tributes from different writers and groups to Mexico s Father of Independence. The museum also contains copies of correspondence written, sent and received by Hidalgo, including the priest s letter of excommunication from the Inquisition, which was issued less than a month after he uttered his Cry of Independence. Visitors can also see Hidalgo s priestly cassocks, a banner of the Virgin of Guadalupe, and the first declaration of the abolition of slavery. The museum is just a short walk from the Museo de la Independencia Nacional (Museum of National Independence) which contains artefacts and murals related to the era of the Independence struggle. Notes

9 Mexico Top Ten - Day 01 Name: Castillo de Chapultepec Address: Chapultepec Park, Mexico City Alternative Name: Museo Nacional de Historia Contact Details: Entry Information: Chapultepec Castle and the National History Museum are open daily except Mondays, 9am-5pm. Admission costs 51 pesos and is free for children 13 and under. Further concessions available. Audio guides are available for a fee of 65 pesos per person. Site Direction: The National Museum of History, Castle of Chapultepec is located on Calz del Rio in Chapultepec Park, which is off Paseo de la Reforma Road. The nearest metro stations are Auditorio (line 7) and Chapultepec (line 1). There s a dedicated mini train to the museum within Chapultepec Park during opening hours. Description Chapultepec Castle (Castillo de Chapultepec) is an eighteenth century building in Mexico City s Chapultepec Park now containing Mexico s National History Museum (Museo Nacional de Historia). Original construction of Chapultepec Castle began in 1785, but it was only completed after Mexico achieved independence and later refurbished as the home of Emperor Maximilian of Habsburg in 1864, before becoming the residence of Mexico s presidents. Parts of Chapultepec Castle are still dedicated to their time as Emperor Maximilian s home, however today, most of Chapultepec Castle is dedicated to the National History Museum. Within its twelve halls, Mexico s National History Museum charts the country s diverse history, from the Pre-Hispanic era through to Spanish colonialism, Mexico s revolution and its independence. Some of the National History Museum s most significant exhibitions include the sword wielded by independence fighter José María Morelos in the Siege of Cuautla in 1812 as well as several murals depicting famous battles. Notes

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11 Mexico Top Ten - Day 01 Name: Teotihuacan Address: Zona Arqueologica de Teotihuacan, Mexico-Pyramides Highway, San Martin Alternative Name: - Contact Details: Contact local tourist office Entry Information: The entrance fee for Teotihuacan is 51 pesos. The museums on the site are open 10am-5pm Site Direction: Teotihuacan is located 48km (30 miles) northeast of Mexico City between San Martin de las Piramdes and San Juan Teotihuacan. From Mexico City, you can take one of the autobuses from near gate 8 at Terminal Norte (to Los Pirámides or Teotihuacán ruinas - not the nearby town of San Juan Teotihuacán) which run every 15 min. 7am-6pm. The trip takes around 45 min. and costs around M$28. Description Teotihuacan was a holy Mesoamerican city built in around 400 BC in what is now Mexico and forms one of the country s oldest archeological sites. Whilst the founders of Teotihuacan have never been definitively identified, it is thought that the city was inhabited by the Toltecs and was also an important Aztec site. Literally translated as the place where gods are created, Teotihuacan was clearly a city of significant religious importance to its inhabitants, as illustrated by the wealth of monuments at the site. Characterised by looming stepped pyramids, indeed one of the most impressive aspects of Teotihuacan is the sheer size of these monuments, including the Pyramid of the Sun, which measures 225 by 222 metres at its base, rising 75 metres high.

12 Incredibly well-preserved, despite a fire which tore through Teotihuacan in the 7th century, Teotihuacan is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. However, it is not just Teotihuacan s religious monuments which make it such an important and popular site. In fact, it is estimated that these make up a mere 10% of the total excavated site and the rest includes castles, such as the Palace of Quetzalcoatl and the Palace of the Citadel, residential buildings and communal buildings. Visitors to Teotihuacan can maneuver their way through the city via its original streets, such as Avenue of the Dead, which divided the city into quarters, although take note that the site is absolutely enormous. Today, Teotihuacan is one of the most popular tourist sites in Mexico and includes numerous museums, including the Museo del Sitio, just south of the Pyramid of the Sun where visitors can see various artefacts from the site. Notes

13 Mexico Top Ten - Day 01 Name: Palenque Address: Palenque, Chiapas, Mexico Alternative Name: - Contact Details: (916) Entry Information: Palenque s ruins are open daily, 8am-4:30pm. The museum is open daily except Mondays, 10am-5pm. Entry to the site and the museum costs 90 Pesos. Site Direction: Palenque is located around 6km west of the modern town of Palenque in Southern Mexican state of Chiapas. It is approx. 220km northeast of San Cristobal de las Casas and 290km northeast of Tuxtla Gutierrez. By bus (ask your hotel), the journey takes 5-6 hours from each of San Cristobal de las Casas and Tuxtla Gutierrez. There are also buses from Villahermosa (2.5 hours). The modern town of Palenque has a train station at Pakalna with connections to Cordoba, Veracruz, and Merida, Yucatan. There is also an airport with flights from Aerocaribe, Tuxtla Gutierrez, Ocosingo and Comitan de Dominguez. There are minibuses from the modern Palenque to the ruins. Description Palenque in Mexico is an important Maya archaeological site located just outside the modern city by the same name. It is thought that Palenque was first inhabited in around 100BC and excavations have uncovered writings about a king who ruled there in the fifth century AD, however the city was attacked several times by the inhabitants of neighbouring cities. Pakal the Great It was from the seventh century AD that Palenque began to develop once more under the rule of Pakal the Great (sometimes spelt Pacal ). During his reign between 615 and 683 AD, Pakal built many of Palenque s most impressive structures and they are often considered to be some of the most important pieces of Maya architecture. Pakal s works were continued by his son, Kan B alam.

14 Abandonment of Palenque In approximately 711 AD, Palenque was attacked once more and, by 900 AD it was deserted. Having been discovered in the sixteenth century, Palenque is now a popular tourist destination and a UNESCO World Heritage site. It has a small, but interesting museum, exhibiting finds from the excavation of Palenque and giving an overview of its history. Sites Some of the most fascinating sites in Palenque include Pakal s tomb, known as the Temple of the Inscriptions or Templo de las Inscripciones, the Palace (El Palacio) and several other temples, such as the Temple of the Sun (Los Templo del Sol) and the Temple of the Cross (Los Templo de la Cruz). Many of these temples centre off Palenque s central plaza, a marvel in its own right as it was built over the river, requiring advanced engineering mechanisms. Each of the structures in Palenque is ornate and lavishly decorated, bearing inscriptions chronicling the history of the city, which was probably the capital of the region. In fact, Palenque has the honour of having one of the best Maya inscriptions ever found, located in the Temple of the Inscriptions and telling the story of Palenque. Notes

15 Mexico Top Ten - Day 01 Name: Tulum Address: Route 307, Tulum, Chetumal, QROO, Mexico Alternative Name: - Contact Details: Contact local tourist office Entry Information: Open 8am-5pm (last entry 4:30pm). Entry 51 Pesos (30 pesos extra for video camera). Site Direction: Located approx 121km south of Cancun (approx 1.5hr journey). Description Tulum is a Maya site in Mexico s Quintana Roo region dating back to between the 13th and 16th centuries. At its peak, Tulum was quite a thriving walled city. Whilst relatively modest in comparison to, say Chichen Itza, Tulum does feature some interesting and quite well preserved ruins, including its castle, city walls and temples. One of the highlights at Tulum is its Temple of the Frescoes, with some original frescoes inside it. However, the real beauty of Tulum is its shimmering beachside location. Notes

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17 Mexico Top Ten - Day 01 Name: Chichen Itza Address: Chichen Itza, Etat de Yucatan, Municipalité de Tinum Alternative Name: - Contact Details: Contact local tourist office Entry Information: Entry to Chichen Itza costs 95 Pesos for adults, free for children 12 and under. Additional fee for filming at the site. Site Direction: Chichen Itza is a 2 hour bus ride from Cancun. Description Stunningly well-preserved and imposingly beautiful, Chichen Itza is one of Mexico s most impressive historical sites. A UNESCO World Heritage site based in the forests of the Yucatan Peninsula, Chichen Itza is actually made up of two cities built by two peoples, the Mayas and the Toltecs. The site is made up of several surviving buildings including a circular observatory known as El Caracol, the Warriors Temple and El Castillo. Accounts vary as to the date of the first settlement at Chichen Itza, placing it between the 6th and 9th century AD when the Mayas built the original city including The Building of the Nuns and a church. Chichen Itza was conquered by the Toltec King of Tula in the 10th century AD, accounting for the fusion in Maya and Toltec influences. Notes

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