What happened to the temples of Tenochtitlan?
After the fall of Tenochtitlan in 1521, the lands controlled by the Aztecs became part of the Spanish empire. All the temples, including the Templo Mayor, were sacked, taking all objects of gold and other precious materials.
Where were the Tenochtitlan temples located?
Templo Mayor
The Templo Mayor (Main Temple) in Tenochtitlan, capital of the mighty Aztec empire, was located in the center of the city, where the most important ritual and ceremonial activities in Aztec life took place.
What is Tenochtitlan called today?
Mexico City
The leader of the conquistadors, Hernan Cortés, began the construction of what is now known as Mexico City among the ruins.
Is Teotihuacan and Tenochtitlan the same?
While the town known to the Aztecs as Teotihuacan was a much smaller place than the Early Classic city—and much smaller than the great Aztec capital Tenochtitlan/Mexico City—it was strategically important as a regional political capital.
Why was Tenochtitlan important?
In less than 200 years, it evolved from a small settlement on an island in the western swamps of Lake Texcoco into the powerful political, economic, and religious center of the greatest empire of Precolumbian Mexico. Tenochtitlan was a city of great wealth, obtained through the spoils of tribute from conquered regions.
Is Tenochtitlan still there?
Today, the ruins of Tenochtitlan are in the historic center of the Mexican capital. The World Heritage Site of Xochimilco contains what remains of the geography (water, boats, floating gardens) of the Mexica capital. The city is located in modern-day Mexico City.
What was the purpose of Tenochtitlan?
Can you visit Tenochtitlan?
You can visit this magnificent archaeological site in the heart of the city. From the archaeological site, stop and consider where you are: The Cathedral on one side and the National Palace on the other. You are in the center of Tenochtitlan, where only priests and the elites could enter.
Why was Tenochtitlan so important?
This was important because it gave city several advantages and allowed it to become on the the largest cities in the world at the time. The location for Tenochtitlan proved excellent as the waterways of the lake allowed the Aztec to easily travel and trade with other societies in the region.
How did the Aztecs get to Tenochtitlan?
Early on in the history of the city the Aztecs built causeways and canals for transportation to and from the city. A causeway is a raised road that allowed the people to easily travel over the swampy and wet areas. There were three major causeways that led from the island city to the mainland.
Was Tenochtitlan the biggest city in the world?
At the time of the Spanish Conquest in 1521, the Aztec capital city of Tenochtitlan was among the largest cities in the world, with perhaps as many as 200,000 inhabitants.
What was special about Tenochtitlan?
Tenochtitlán was an Aztec city that flourished between A.D. 1325 and 1521. Built on an island on Lake Texcoco, it had a system of canals and causeways that supplied the hundreds of thousands of people who lived there. Aztec capital.
What was the Great Temple of Tenochtitlan?
The Templo Mayor or Great Temple (called Hueteocalli by the Aztecs ) dominated the central sacred precinct of the Aztec capital Tenochtitlan. Topped by twin temples dedicated to the war god Huitzilopochtli and the rain god Tlaloc it was a focal point of the Aztec religion and very centre of the Aztec world.
How tall was the Great Temple in Tenochtitlan?
Standing about ninety feet high, the majestic structure consisted of two stepped pyramids rising side by side on a huge platform. It dominated both the Sacred Precinct and the entire city.
Is Tenochtitlan located in a lake or ocean?
Tenochtitlan was located on a swampy island in Lake Texcoco in what is today south central Mexico. The Aztecs were able to settle there because no one else wanted the land. At first, it wasn’t a great place to start a city, but soon the Aztecs built up islands where they could grow crops.
Is Tenochtitlan in the middle of a lake?
Tenochtitlán was situated on an artificial island in the middle of Lake Texcoco . It was connected to the mainland by three large causeways. It was connected to the mainland by three large causeways. In May 1521 Cortés and his coalition army reached the outskirts of the Aztec capital and laid siege to the city….