The Templo Mayor or more famous as the Great Temple was one of the main temples of the Aztecs in their capital city of Tenochtitlan, which is now famed as Mexico City. The architectural style of this temple belongs to the late Post classic period of Mesoamerica. The temple is dedicated simultaneously to two gods, Huitzilopochtli, god of war, and Tlaloc, god of rain and agriculture. Both the gods had a shrine at the top of the pyramid with separate staircases. The spire in the centre of the image to the right was devoted to Quetzalcoatl in his form as the wind god, Ehecatl.
See also : Take a stroll along Chapultepec Park
It also houses the Templo Mayor Museum which was inaugurated in 1987. This building was designed to exhibit the archaeological findings of the zone that used to be the Main Temple of Mexica peoples. The collection shows the political, military and aesthetic relevance of the city that dominated Mesoamerica before the Spaniards arrived. The Temple is thought to be built on the exact spot where the Aztecs saw their symbolic eagle perching on a cactus with a snake in its beak, now the symbol of Mexico. For the Aztecs, this spot was believed to be the centre of the universe.
Timings: Open from Tuesday to Sunday from 09:00am until 5:00pm
Prices (Tickets or entries):
Tuesday to Saturday, normal entry from $59
Sunday: No entry fee
Address: 8 Seminario St., Downtown, Cuauhtemoc, D.F., 06060.
How to Reach: The best way to get to Templo Mayor is via the Mexico City metro system. Connect to the Blue Line and alight the train at "Zocalo". Head to the northeast corner of the capital's principal plaza to find the entrance to Templo Mayor.
Contact: +52 55 4040 5600"