Aztec temple ruins & museum showcasing ancient artifacts
Seminario 8, Centro Histórico de la Cdad. de México, Centro, Cuauhtémoc, 06060 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico Get directions
"An archaeological museum built around the ruins of an ancient ceremonial center, offering affordable access to pre-Hispanic artifacts and history." - Lauren Dana Ellman Lauren Dana Ellman Lauren Dana Ellman is a New York-based writer and editor who specializes in travel, lifestyle, food, and shopping content. Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines
"Templo Mayor (translation: main temple) was the centerpiece of Tenochtitlán, the ancient Aztec capital, constructed in 1325 in the marshes of Lake Texcoco. The temple was mowed over and replaced by a cathedral during the Spanish conquest in 1521. Today, the hulking stone ruins lie at the heart of Centro Histórico, embedded in the blueprint of downtown. Surrounded by streets and buildings, it is hard to imagine the temples in their original Aztecan glory, but the nicely organized museum helps paint the full picture." - Scarlett Lindeman
"The ruins of Tenochtitlan, the capital of the old Aztec empire, lie beneath Centro Histórico, and Templo Mayor is the main structure that was unearthed by archaeologists in the 1970s. After visiting the archaeological site, head next door to the museum, where most of the pre-Columbian pieces recovered from the area are on display." - MATADOR_NETWORK
"The Templo Mayor With the Spanish conquest of the Aztec empire, Iberian overlords set about imposing their customs on the subdued populace, eliminating traces of pre-Hispanic religions they deemed heretical by demolishing major temples and building churches and other structures atop their ruins. Centuries later, in 1978, workers laying electrical lines happened upon the remains of the Templo Mayor, the Aztecs’ most important ceremonial center (and, yes, the location of their notorious human sacrifices). Subsequent excavations have revealed superimposed pyramid foundations and priceless artworks, many now displayed at the on-site museum. Thrillingly, treasures keep turning up—including the spring 2017 discovery of a stone box containing some of the finest Aztec gold ever found, just off the Templo Mayor's steps."
"The Templo Mayor With the Spanish conquest of the Aztec empire, Iberian overlords set about imposing their customs on the subdued populace, eliminating traces of pre-Hispanic religions they deemed heretical by demolishing major temples and building churches and other structures atop their ruins. Centuries later, in 1978, workers laying electrical lines happened upon the remains of the Templo Mayor, the Aztecs’ most important ceremonial center (and, yes, the location of their notorious human sacrifices). Subsequent excavations have revealed superimposed pyramid foundations and priceless artworks, many now displayed at the on-site museum. Thrillingly, treasures keep turning up—including the spring 2017 discovery of a stone box containing some of the finest Aztec gold ever found, just off the Templo Mayor's steps."
