Mexico Is Home To The World's Largest Pyramid
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Egypt's Great Pyramid of Giza, which stands 481 feet (147 meters) high, is the world's tallest pyramid. But the world's largest pyramid lies half a world away in Cholula, Mexico. Tlachihualtepetl, or the Great Pyramid of Cholula, is about 217 feet (66 meters) tall with a base of 1,476 by 1,476 feet (450 by 450 meters). The pyramid boasts a total volume of 157 million cubic feet (4.45 million cubic meters). This is almost twice that of the Great Pyramid of Giza.
Historians believe the massive monument was built in several stages from 300 BC to 700 AD. The temple built above the pyramid served as a center of worship for Quetzalcoatl. He was the Aztec god of learning and books. But the temple was abandoned around the 8th or 9th century AD. As years passed, the pyramid was covered by lush vegetation.
The structure blended in so well with the nearby hills and mountains that the Spaniards, who conquered Mexico in 1521, mistook it for a natural hill. They destroyed the temple on its summit and replaced it with a colonial church. The pyramid only came to light in the 1930s when the dirt started to fall away. Since then, archeologists have excavated many of the pyramid's stairways, platforms, and altars. They have also dug over five miles of tunnels in and around the pyramid. The ancient site is a popular attraction, receiving thousands of visitors every year.
Resources: Wikipedia.org, Aztec-history.com, atlasobsucra.com
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82 Comments
2426a4 daysthat video was asem
leoisalive72837 days5 miles of tunnels?- leoisalive72837 daysthat is actually huge
- 2426a4 daysya it is cool
cacalovereater612 daysWOWZERS THATS AMAZING!!!! ITS SO BIGGG!!!!!! I LOVE THIS ARTCLE
elimaster9913 dayswow it's so big- Hyeonjeong Kim18 daysI like it because I like many kinds of Pyramids.
- 24707118 daysgood info
nishimurariki22 daysThough ancient buildings are intriguing, they would have no use for today’s society. Now they would only serve for aesthetic and cosmetic purposes. Basically, this world record is useless, but would give hope on what more we can create in the future.
pupflower22 daysYou're so right! I've never thought about it that way, but yeah, things like that give us inspiration and hope for what the future may bring!
epicawsomeethan25 daysIt was so cool- epicawsomeethan25 daysI love the little model