Aztec+Architecture

**Aztec Architecture & Spatial Organization by Pam Kacerosky ** Even though the early Aztec city of Teotihuacan and the later Aztec city of Tenochtitlan are one thousand years apart in time they both demonstrate social hierarchies (ie inequality) in the Aztec Society via architecture and spatial organization of each city. Below you will read how both cities were perfectly planned urban centers, which in each respective time period were the largest cities in the world. You will read that both cities were constructed on a grid system. This means the whole city was designed in advance. This type of planning and forethought could only come to pass if the ruler at that time was powerful enough to enforce their will on those who were building the cities. You will also read about the large, beautiful and sometimes elaborate monuments (pyramids), constructed to the Aztec gods, which would have required great wealth to create and in one instance recreate over and over again. And you will read about the placement, structure and size of the residence based on social hierarchy (Rulers, Noblemen, Craftsmen and Commoners).

media type="youtube" key="D7nbKa5__XM" height="344" width="425"  Teotihuacan literally translates to “The City of the Gods” and can be found in the central part of the Valley of Teotihuacan. This valley is in the northeastern section of the Basin of Mexico and is 7,000 feet above sea level, with a semiarid climate. Teotihuacan became a city at the time of Christ, reached its peak between 300AD–400AD and then was burned and abandoned around 750AD for reasons still unknown. The Aztecs regarded this city as a mystical and sacred place and they referred to it as the birthplace of the gods. The legend behind Teotihuacan is that in the beginning of the earth there was only darkness. To create light, the gods came together and called for one among them to sacrifice themselves. A richly dressed and fine looking god was the first to volunteer and a pitiful poor looking god was second. A great fire was lit for the gods to throw themselves into. The pitiful god jumped in the fire first, only after the richly dressed god hesitated. However the richly dressed god jumped in afterwards creating two suns. The other gods, being disappointed with the richly dressed god, threw ash in the face of the second sun, turning it into the moon. On this sacred ground the Aztecs created built monuments to the sun and moon gods in the form of pyramids. The city surrounding the pyramids was laid out in a well planned grid system, with a long avenue running north to south. At the northern end of the avenue is the Pyramid of the Moon and adjacent to the avenue is the Pyramid of the Sun. Teotihuacan was the largest pre-Columbian city in the Americas. It was larger than any city in Europe, including Rome. At its peak, Teotihuacan had a population of 150,000 and spread over eight square miles. Archaeologist originally thought the city was built by the Toltec (craftsmen of the highest level). However, new evidence has come to light that Teotihuacan may have been built by the Totonac people. The inhabitants of Teotihuacan are thought to be the Zapotec, Mixtec and Myan people. The culture and architecture of Teotihuacan was influenced by the Olmec people, who were considered to be the “mother civilization” of Mesoamerica.



 The city of Teotihuacan is astronomically aligned with a constant orient of 15 to 25 degrees east of true north. The pyramids of the Sun and the Moon were arranged to echo the shape of the mountains surrounding the valley. The front wall of the Pyramid of the Sun is exactly perpendicular to the point on the horizon where the sun sets on the equinoxes. The Avenue of the Dead runs north to south connecting the two pyramids and the ceremonial buildings are laid out at right degree angles to the Pyramid of the Sun. The rest of the city is laid out according to a strict grid pattern, organized around the central avenue. People lived in large walled apartment compounds which were tightly packed together, with narrow alleys in between them. Around 200 houses have been found, some of which are large family or artisan compounds and others are smaller, indicating inequality among the residents.



The Pyramid of the Sun is the third largest pyramid in the world (the 2nd is the Great Pyramid of Cholula and the 1st is the Great Pyramid). For a long time residents of this area thought this pyramid was just another mountain until archaeologist discovered its true identity. It is located in the heart of Teotihuacan and the first phase of construction started around 100AD. After the second phase of construction was completed it stood 738 feet across & 246 feet high, with an alter at the top. The pyramid was built with clay adobes and finished with lime plaster that was imported from surrounding areas and painted in bright colors. The Pyramid of the Sun was built over a sacred cave shaped like a four leafed clover, which was originally thought to be Chicomoztoc (the place of human origins - according to Nahua Legends). Human skeleton have been found at the four corners of the foundation of the temple, indicating human sacrifice.



The Temple of the Feathered Serpent (also known as the Temple of Quetzalcoatl) is an important religious and political center of the city of Teotihuacan. It is located within the Ciudadela at the South end of the Avenue of the Dead. Archaeological finds, in the form of 200 ceremonially buried skeletons of warriors that were arranged in specific positions and dressed in costumes, at this temple have revealed a great deal about religious ceremonies, burials and politics in ancient Aztec society. The temple façade contains some of the earliest known representations of the Mesoamerican “plumed serpent” deity figure. These serpent heads weigh four tons and were also carved in low relief on the walls.



Ciudadela is a Spanish word for fortress and was used to describe the structure with high walls that surround the Pyramid of the Feathered Serpent, two mansions, the Adosada platform and a sunken courtyard. The courtyard is large enough to contain 100,000 to 200,000 people, which equals the entire population of Teotihuacan.

The capital city of the late Aztec empire was Tenochtitlan and is located near present day Mexico City. Tenochtitlan is 4.6 square miles and was located within a shallow lake in an enclosed basin now called the valley of Mexico (7,874 feet above sea level). Tenochtitlan was founded in 1325 AD (Late Aztec A period) and home to 70,000 inhabitants. Following the Tepanec war of 1428 (Late Aztec B Period) Tenochtitlan grew into island metropolis of 200,000 inhabitants. Tenochtitlan’s first structure, which is located in the middle of the island, was a shrine to Huitzilopochtli (translates to hummingbird – the Aztec god of war) at the place the Aztec’s had seen the omen of the eagle perched on a cactus. The name Tenochtitlan literally means “Among the Stone-Cactus Fruit”. Inspired by the architectural style of Teotihuacan, Tenochtitlan was also laid out along a grid to establish a common alignment for all the buildings within the city. The city was then divided into four quarters with a sacred religious precinct located in the center of Tenochtitlan, which was walled off from the rest of the city. The governing body of Tenochtitlan sponsored public works that were designed to create a sense of religious piety and imperial power.

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The urban planning and layout of Tenochtitlan was meant represent grandeur of the city as well as overwhelm visitors with a since of awe. The very center of Tenochtitlan is the Templo Mayor Pyramid, with its twin stairways. Surrounding the Temple is the sacred religious precinct that was inhabited by thousands of servants of the gods. This main ceremonial area was a city within a city made up of pyramids, temples, halls, immense open courtyards, monasteries and shrines that totaled to a number of 78 buildings. This inner sanctum was surrounded by a masonry wall and also included a ball court, priest quarters and schools to train young noblemen for the priesthood. Ones importance was exhibited by how close their homes were to this precinct. Therefore the palaces of kings and noble were adjacent to the precinct walls. These palaces were lavish with beautiful gardens, aviaries and zoos. As a display of wealth the Aztec Tlatoani (ruler) would build a new palace leaving the old one in place as a monument to the greatness of the past dynasty. Major avenues extend out from the sacred precinct in the form of an “X”, dividing the city into four great calpullis (wards). Because it mirrored the path of the sun the east-west axis was the more important than the north-south axis. The four calpullis were called Atzacualco, Cuepopan, Moyotlan and Teopan and they each contained a temple, communal meeting hall and particular social and religious organizations. The larger two story homes located along the avenues belonged to the high status professionals and craftsmen. These homes were compounds surrounded by a fence or wall and occupied by a number of related family members. Each house lot usually contained living quarters arranged around a common patio. The homes of craftsmen contain workshops that not only produced goods but also trained new generations of craftsmen, which was inherited within the households. Farther back from the main avenue are the homes of the commoners and along the coast line are the homes of farmers. Most residents contained three or four buildings in a total area of 5,381 square feet or less. Yet some homes of commoners were very small totaling 1,657 square feet and containing two houses there were between 200 and 400 square feet. These homes are in direct contrast to a Palace that would cover an area of 40,472 square feet. And finally at the edge of the island were three stone causeways, with wooden drawbridges to allow canoes to pass or as a security measure. Aqueducts ran along the causeways bringing fresh water to pools and public fountains within the city. 

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">The Great Temple at Tenochtitlan (Templo Mayor) was the grandest of all Tenochtitlan temples located at the center of the city. It was where the most important rituals and ceremonial activities took place, including human sacrifice. The temple resembled a pyramid and contained twin stairways that lead up to two separate shrines at the top. One shrine was dedicated to Huitzilopochtli (god of war) and the other shrine was dedicated to Tlaloc (god of rain). It was built and completely rebuilt seven times and half of a dozen new facades were built over the old ones. Architecturally Templo Mayor has the same problem as modern day Venice. It is built on marshy terrain and to counter effect the sinking of the structure, thousands of fence post sized supports were placed underneath it. The temple is also supported by a huge earthen platform measuring at least 1,312 by 1312 by 37.7 feet and containing almost 65 million cubic feet of earth and rubble to support building. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">



<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">The Palace of Moctezuma was not only the residence of the ruler, it also served as an administrative center (not unlike our modern day White House). The palace contained offices where accountants were keeping written records of the revenue that arrived from different parts of the empire, as well as a maze of halls, passageways, private courtyards, meeting chambers and storehouses. It housed craft workshops and contained hundreds of apartments which were used as lodgings for high rank visitors, such as conquered lords who were required to reside at Tenochtitlan part of the year. Their heirs were required to resided permanently in the city until they reached adulthood and both were required pay their respects to the ruler, daily. The highest judicial court for nobles and commoners meet here as well as lower courts for civil cases. The Palace was built on a rectangular platform with 20 entrances on four sides and inside it contained three great patios surrounded by massive hallways. One of the patios had a fountain in the center which was feed by the aqueducts and also supplied water to the rest of the palace. Daily thousands of people gathered at the Palace to pay respect to the ruler.




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