Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Mexico Tlalnepantla Pyramids of Tenayuca

Pyramids of Tenayuca

A barbarous band of serpents guard the bases of these Aztec temples.

Tlalnepantla, Mexico

Added By
Mictlān Tēcutli
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
Some of the many stone snake head sculptures.   Rafael Saldaña/cc by 2.0
The pyramid of Tenayuca.   t_y_l/cc by-sa 2.0
Snake heads lining the pyramid base   t_y_l/cc by-sa 2.0
The larger coiled serpent sculpture of the pyramid’s south side.   Thelmadatter/public domain
Closeup of pyramid and snake motifs.   Gargancio/public domain
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

On the outskirts of Mexico City stand the ruins of an ancient pyramid that is surrounded by what appears to be an army of stone serpents.

Xolotl, a leader of the Chichimecas ("Barbarians" in Nahuatl) who settled at Tenayuca, built a fortified city here as a capital for his people. In subsequent generations, this center lost much of its power and was moved to Tetzcoco. As a settlement of now secondary importance, Tenayuca experienced a second wave of invasion by a coalition of other Chichimeca tribes in the late 1200s, from whom would eventually emerge the Aztecs. After the site came under Aztec control, an elaborate pyramid complex was constructed.

A series of stone coatepantlis (serpent walls) was made to surround the base of the pyramid. Archeologists believe the Aztecs may have been inspired by those at the Toltec city of Tula, where these structures first appeared. This imitation may have served a function as either a homage to the great power of Central Mexico that had preceded their own or as a visual symbol to legitimize their own rule as rightful "heirs" of the Toltec mantle of empire.

When the Spanish conquistadors arrived in the area in 1519, they dubbed it "El Pueblo de los Serpientes" ("The Town of the Serpents"). The Spaniards defeated the city’s native inhabitants in 1520.

In the long centuries that followed, Tenayuca was forgotten and became covered by layers of sediment. In the 1920s, a renewed interest by professional archeologists in Mexico's pre-Columbian past led to the site’s excavation.

Related Tags

Ancient Ruins Abandoned Cities Archaeology Snakes Temples Pyramids Aztec

Know Before You Go

The pyramid and its museum are open to the public Tuesday to Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The entrance fee is 55 pesos.

Atlas Obscura Adventures

Flavors of Oaxaca: Markets, Mezcal & Home-Cooked Meals

A Culinary and Cultural Journey Through Oaxaca.

Book Now

Community Contributors

Added By

Monsieur Mictlan

Published

September 30, 2019

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tenayuca
Pyramids of Tenayuca
102 Calle Tizoc
Tlalnepantla, 54150
Mexico
19.532086, -99.168476
Visit Website
Get Directions

Nearby Places

'Tomb of the Years' at Tenayuca Pyramid

Tlalnepantla, Mexico

miles away

The Pyramid of Santa Cecilia Acatitlán

Tlalnepantla, Mexico

miles away

Mexica Sculpture Museum Dr. Eusebio Davalos Hurtado

Tlalnepantla, Mexico

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Tlalnepantla

Tlalnepantla

Mexico

Places 5

Nearby Places

'Tomb of the Years' at Tenayuca Pyramid

Tlalnepantla, Mexico

miles away

The Pyramid of Santa Cecilia Acatitlán

Tlalnepantla, Mexico

miles away

Mexica Sculpture Museum Dr. Eusebio Davalos Hurtado

Tlalnepantla, Mexico

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Tlalnepantla

Tlalnepantla

Mexico

Places 5

Related Places

  • Western Deffufa

    Kerma Albeled, Sudan

    Western Deffufa of Kerma

    The best-preserved example of a unique structure in Nubian architecture.

  • Ruins of 10 or more Yuan dynasty stupas situated outside the northwest corner of Kharakhoto.

    Alxa, China

    Heicheng Ruins

    Sited in an Inner Mongolian desert are the remnants of an important trade stop along the Silk Road.

  • View from the top

    Tikal, Guatemala

    Tikal Temple IV

    Deep in the Guatemalan jungle stands an ancient pyramid that once marked the reign of a king.

  • The skull rack of the Great Temple.

    Mexico City, Mexico

    Skull Rack of the Great Temple

    A disquieting Aztec sculpture displays hundreds of stone skulls representing the victims of human sacrifice.

  • The “tomb of the years” at Museo Xólotl.

    Tlalnepantla, Mexico

    'Tomb of the Years' at Tenayuca Pyramid

    An archaeological museum at the Aztec pyramid displays signs of the New Fire ritual performed every 52 years.

  • An ancient wall with a path running through it under a metal roof

    Yulin, China

    Shimao Relics

    A massive ancient Chinese city with stone walls and evidence of human sacrifices.

  • Templo de Ehecatl-Quetzalcoatl

    Mexico City, Mexico

    Temple of Ehecatl-Quetzalcoatl

    Underneath the historic center of Mexico City, the remains of a temple dedicated to the Aztec god of the wind.

  • Site from above 1

    Athens, Greece

    Proteichisma on Erysichthonos Street

    The ruins of this ancient fortification wall sit in the middle of a quiet, residential intersection.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.