This is Teotihuacan, outside of Mexico City. These pyramids were built long before the Aztec people came to this land looking for obsidian (in the 1400s). Historians believe these structures date back to somewhere around 100 CE, though construction probably lasted until 250 CE. The history of Teotihuacan is still not totally understood.
At it's peak, it would have been the largest city in the North and South American continents, and the 6th largest in the world. With an estimated 125,000 residents. Around 550 CE many of the major monuments were burned, and the city disbanded. Some historians point to extreme weather events, a volcanic winter, that hit around 535 CE.
But who actually lived here? There is a lot of debate around this. Some believe it was home to many tribes. Some think the ancient Toltec people built the city, however the timeline seems to be a bit off. Other historians think it was the Totonacs, or many tribes coming together. The main structures are named the Temple of Quetzalcoatl (the feathered serpent), The Citadel, the Pyramid of the Sun and the Pyramid of the Moon. The main temples are connected by the Avenue of The Dead.
In 1987, the city was honored as an UNESCO World Heritage Site. And in 1870 reconstruction on some of these structures started.
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