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Teotihuacán is a ruined ancient city in central Mexico. In 500 ce it was one of the largest cities in the world. Portions of its grand pyramids, temples, and palaces are still standing. Yet little is known about the people who built Teotihuacán. They lived in the region centuries before the Aztec arrived.
The ruins of Teotihuacán are about 30 miles (50 kilometers) northeast of Mexico City. The Street of the Dead runs through the ancient city. On the east side of the street is the Pyramid of the Sun. Stairs go up the side of the pyramid, which is 216 feet (66 meters) tall. The Pyramid of the Moon and other smaller pyramids stand at the north end of the street. The Pyramid of the Moon rises 140 feet (43 meters). Along the southern part of the Street of the Dead is a large square courtyard called the Citadel. Inside the Citadel is the Temple of Quetzalcóatl. Other ancient structures include apartment buildings, canals, and tunnels.
The people who built Teotihuacán came to central Mexico by about 400 bce. About 300 years later they started to build the pyramids and other large structures. By about 500 ce between 125,000 and 200,000 people lived in the city. Most of them worked as farmers on the surrounding land. Others were traders or craftspeople. Religious leaders governed the city.
In the 700s Teotihuacán suffered a large fire, and most of the inhabitants left. Other peoples later arrived in the region. The Aztec appeared in about 1200. They treated Teotihuacán as a holy place.
Today the ancient city is a popular tourist destination. In 1987 UNESCO named Teotihuacán a World Heritage site.
The walls of the Temple of Quetzalcóatl were once painted red, but the color has faded away.