"The astronomical heart of Teotihuacan, mirroring the sacred mountain and marking the Avenue's destination"
Pyramid of the Moon, Teotihuacán
San Juan Teotihuacan, State of Mexico, Mexico
The Pyramid of the Moon stands at the northern terminus of the Avenue of the Dead, the visual and ritual culmination of Teotihuacan's processional way. Though smaller than the Pyramid of the Sun, it occupies the more commanding position, its profile deliberately designed to echo Cerro Gordo, the sacred mountain that rises behind it. This mirroring was no coincidence. The builders created an artificial mountain before a natural one, architecture imitating and honoring the sacred landscape. The platform atop the pyramid's lowest level offers the most comprehensive view of the city's cosmic geometry, the point from which the builders' intention becomes readable.
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Quick Facts
Location
San Juan Teotihuacan, State of Mexico, Mexico
Tradition
Site Type
Coordinates
19.6966, -98.8441
Last Updated
Jan 12, 2026
Built in at least seven stages between 100-450 CE. Positioned to mirror Cerro Gordo mountain. Contains elaborate dedicatory burials. Ritual focus of the Avenue of the Dead's northern terminus.
Origin Story
No textual origin story survives from Teotihuacan. The pyramid's relationship to Cerro Gordo reflects Mesoamerican tradition of artificial mountains as sacred architecture. Aztec mythology later interpreted the structure as part of the cosmic landscape where the gods created the sun and moon: after Nanahuatzin became the sun, Tecuciztecatl followed him into the sacred fire and emerged as the moon, but too bright until a god struck him with a rabbit, dimming his light. The Pyramid of the Moon was understood as marking this second creation, though whether original builders shared this interpretation is unknown.
Key Figures
Unknown builders
Sacrificial offerings
Spiritual Lineage
The Pyramid of the Moon represents the culmination of Teotihuacan's processional architecture. Its relationship to Cerro Gordo exemplifies the Mesoamerican tradition of sacred mountains and their architectural mirrors. The dedicatory burial practices, including both human and animal offerings, established patterns that influenced subsequent Mesoamerican civilizations.
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