Teotihuacan was a city that grew up near what is now Mexico City.
Between 300 and 900, Teotihuacan was the largest urban area in Mesoamerica. Laid out on an enormous grid, the city featured great open plazas, temples, and palaces.
Rising high above the city was the Pyramid of the Sun. Constructed in about 125, it was as tall as a 20-story building.
Away from the city center were suburbs that spread out over 20 square miles. Some neighborhoods were exclusively for people who practiced a specific craft. Many of these craftspeople made objects out of obsidian, which was treasured by early Mesoamericans. At its height, Teotihuacan was home to perhaps 250,000 people.
Centuries after Teotihuacan was abandoned, Aztec visited the ruins. They were so fascinated by its grandeur that they gave the city its name, which means “the place of the gods.”
