Categories
- Argentina
- Chile
- Antarctica
- Easter Island
- Falklands (Malvinas)
- Bolivia
- Peru
- Uruguay
- Paraguay
- Brazil
- Venezuela
- Colombia
- Ecuador
- Galapagos
- Panama
- Costa Rica
- Cuba
- Nicaragua
- Honduras
- El Salvador
- Guatemala
- Belize
- Mexico
- Latin American Xmas
Pages
- Street Art of Buenos Aires
- A week in Buenos Aires
- The Jesuit Missions in South America
- Contact Us
- Map of Central America
- First week in Latin America – October 2009
- Home Page
- Map of South America
Archives
- October 2011 (3)
- September 2011 (9)
- August 2011 (10)
- July 2011 (7)
- June 2011 (6)
- May 2011 (11)
- April 2011 (10)
- March 2011 (4)
- February 2011 (5)
- January 2011 (6)
- December 2010 (6)
- November 2010 (4)
- October 2010 (8)
- September 2010 (5)
- August 2010 (7)
- July 2010 (5)
- June 2010 (6)
- May 2010 (6)
- April 2010 (7)
- March 2010 (6)
- February 2010 (9)
- January 2010 (4)
- December 2009 (8)
- November 2009 (5)
- October 2009 (2)
Near Puebla
03rd August 2011
Cholula, south west of Puebla [16] was once a large Pre Hispanic religious centre dating from 500 BC. The original occupants disappeared around 600 AD and subsequent civilizations moved in and built over the existing pyramid. What appears to be a large hill in the centre of town was in fact the widest pyramid ever built, measuring 400 x 400 metres at the base. Atop sits the Santuario de Nuestra Señora de los Remedios from where the snow capped active Volcán Popocatepétl can be clearly seen. In 1519, here in the sacred city of Cholula, conquistador Hernán Cortés seized the Aztec leaders and 3 hours later at least 3000 Indians were dead and the city was on fire.
.
Tlaxcala [17], north of Puebla, and the warrior states surrounding it were once fierce allies of Cortés against the Aztecs. Today Tlaxcala is a pretty and quiet colonial town, worth a couple of days. The nearby site at Cacaxtla contains some of the finest frescos depicting battle scenes in vivid blues and reds. The frescos were preserved under layers of the pyramids and only discovered in 1994. On the next hill, pyramid Xochitécatl was the ceremonial centre. These cities peaked around 600 AD to 900 AD, but were abandoned by 1000 AD. At a nearby food stall we sampled the seasonal corn fungus on tortillas with barbequed cactus for lunch – we liked the earthy taste of the fungus.
.
Cholula pottery from about 1000 AD |