22/08/2026
Walking through the archaeological site of Cholula, which is in the middle of the town of Cholula, is one of those experiences where history is literally beneath your feet. What looks from a distance like a natural hill is actually the enormous Great Pyramid of Cholula, known to the ancient people as Tlachihualtépetl—“the hill made by hand.”
Cholula has been continuously inhabited for more than 2,000 years, beginning around 500 BC. It became one of the most important ceremonial and commercial centers of ancient Mesoamerica, attracting pilgrims and merchants from across the region. Different peoples and cultures shaped the city over the centuries, including groups associated with the Gulf Coast, Toltecs, and eventually the Mexica (Aztecs). That long history is visible in the layers of construction and artifacts throughout the site.
The Great Pyramid is especially remarkable because it wasn’t built all at once. Instead, successive generations constructed larger temples and platforms over earlier ones, creating a massive complex with a base of roughly 450 meters on each side—the largest pyramid base in Mesoamerica. Much of the pyramid’s original structure is hidden beneath the earth, which is why today it looks more like a giant natural hill than a traditional pyramid.
Archaeologists have explored the interior through an extraordinary network of tunnels—nearly 8 kilometers (5 miles) were excavated to uncover the different construction phases. Along the way they discovered temples, altars, offerings, burials, and beautiful painted murals, including Los Bebedores (The Drinkers) and Los Chapulines (The Grasshoppers). Sadly, the tunnels are no longer open to the public.
One of the most fascinating things about Cholula is the way its sacred landscape continued to evolve. The ancient pyramid was associated with important religious traditions, including the worship of Tláloc, while centuries later the Spanish built the Santuario de Nuestra Señora de los Remedios on top of the pyramid. An ancient sacred mountain and a colonial church now occupy the same extraordinary space.
Cholula isn’t simply a collection of ruins—it is a city with thousands of years of living history layered one on top of another. And there is still so much more beneath the surface.