First published: 26/01/22.

Els Slots 3.5

Teotihuacan

Teotihuacan (Inscribed)

Teotihuacan by Els Slots

Teotihuacan is a bit of a “What You See Is What You Get”-site, and with the consistent use of the same materials and architecture, it even gets repetitive.

Complementary to what has been said already by previous reviewers, I’d like to add some Covid info for visitors as well as direct you to the fantastic murals in the Tepantitla Palace.

Visiting during Covid times

The archaeological site of Teotihuacan is still open every day of the year. What has changed (status of January 2022):

  • A cap on the allowed number of visitors has been introduced, which allows for specific amounts of tourists to enter at each of the Gates 1-5. It means that arriving early has become even more recommended (it’s also less hot and less crowded in the early morning). Still, it doesn’t sell out easily, maybe except for Mexican holidays.
  • Climbing the two main pyramids is now forbidden. It wouldn’t surprise me if they keep it that way also post-Covid.
  • Wearing a face mask is officially required everywhere, but especially the foreign tourists don’t seem to comply with that rule.

What hasn’t changed? The annoying whistle-sellers are still there. All of them!

Tepantitla Palace

The on-site information at Teotihuacan really sucks, some 50% of the information panels are so weathered that they are unintelligible. There are also hardly any signposts to the various entrance gates or major monuments. This does not help in finding the Tepantitla Palace. I found out that the path starts to the left of the Pyramid of the Sun; it's the one going slightly uphill. You will then come to Gate 4 and exit the site. Still no signpost to be seen. I eventually had to ask three more times, it's about 500 meters straight ahead across the parking lot and into the next street.

But the search turned out to be completely worth it. This "palace" was the home of a priest or other high-ranking official from Teotihuacan. I was the only one here for the full duration of my visit and could take pictures of the many beautiful murals at my leisure. There are dozens of dancing and playing figures depicted, and tough warriors or priests.

Although the AB text is a bit ambiguous on Tepantitla, you’ll see a little corner on the other side of the road behind the Pyramid of the Sun being included in the core zone in the official map. I believe this is the site of Tepantitla Palace.

Comments

No comments yet.

Log in to post a comment