The Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe

Walking through the Plaza of the old
and new Basilicas

Many older buildings, some dating back centuries, have been
gradually sinking as most of Mexico City has
been built upon marshy wetland. These buildings have
undergone massive restorations to maintain their
integrity.

The Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe houses the miraculous image of Our Lady of Guadeloupe, the most important religious symbol to most Mexicans.  Originally the site of a shrine to a mother goddess, the Spanish destroyed it and constructed the old Basilica in 1709 using stones from the destroyed temple. There are actually several other religious buildings in the complex, including the Capilla del Poticito, built on a well of water considered to be healing.

Every year some twenty million pilgrims visit the sanctuary, of which about nine million come around December 12, when Saint Mary of Guadalupe is celebrated. The Basilica has received visits from heads of state, athletes, politicians, artists and leaders of several Christian denominations, including Pope John Paul II, who visited five times.

In 1974 the Modern Basilica was built due to the need to house the image of the Virgin of Guadalupe and allow access to a greater number of pilgrims, as the old temple was unstable and dangerous due to the sinking ground.  The circular shape symbolizes the tent that housed the Ark of the Covenant on its march through the desert  The Basilica was built with reinforced concrete for the roof structure, covered with green oxidized copper sheets and to prevent the settling of the land that occurred in surrounding buildings, 344 control piles help stabilize it. 

There are seven entrances to the front. The marble altar has various levels above the assembly. The image of the Virgin can be observed from everywhere inside the Basilica, and for better visibility, there is a walkway with a conveyer belt underneath the alter.

The conveyer belt to move visitors along as they
observe the sacred image

The shrine housing the Virgin and her shroud

At the New Basilica we witnessed a man with a broken leg, crawling through the plaza to the entrance.  People with disabilities or health problems will crawl to the Cathedral in search of healing. 

After crawling on his knees the man finally made
it into the Basilica (left foreground)

Often they will also bring a small metal pin, depicting, a broken arm, or a broken leg, or some other body part that they then attach to a Panel behind a saint for healing. 

Avenue of the Dead

Walking the Avenue of the Dead toward the Pyramid
of the Sun. The pyramid is supposed to resemble
the mountain behind it.

Connecting the Pyramids lies the 1.5 mile long Avenue of the Dead, so called because it was believed at one time to be constructed by tombs. Later scholars discovered is believed that ceremonial platforms topped with temples, smaller pyramids, and palaces lined the Avenue. The Temple of Quetzalcoatl, or Temple of the Feathered Serpent lies along the southern end, where burial sites, skeletal remains and artifacts have been recovered. This is the name of a very similar looking Aztec god which came thousands of years after the Teotihuacanos. 

Original painting of a jaguar on a temple wall. Recognized as an
apex predator, the jaguar often symbolizes supernatural
strength and powers

A school group walking along the Avenue of the Dead.

Between the midday heat, the swirling dust from the hot wind and slowly meandering down this busy street we felt like WE could die at times!!

Pyramid of the Moon

Pyramid of the Moon

The Pyramid of the Moon at the northern end of the Avenue is believed to have been used as a ritual temple built to worship the Great Goddess of Teotihuacan who served as a deity of water, fertility, and creation.

A sacrificial (think slaughter) area where
these people are standing lies at
the foot of the Pyramid of the Moon.

It was completed slightly after the Pyramid of the Sun, in 250 AD, and stands at 140 feet high It was built in seven layers, one pyramid on top of the other, very much like a Russian doll. Excavations have revealed human sacrifices in at least the last 3 layers, most sat upright in the lotus position, accompanied by animal sacrifices and objects.

Of course, as with any tourist spot, vendors and 

even hunky young men in traditional costumes

could be found.

Teotihuacan and it's Pyramid

 On our second extremely, hot dry day, we traveled by bus about 40 miles from the city center where we trekked around the ruins of the ancient city of Teotihuacan and visited the pyramids. 

The city is laid out on an east-west axis with the 
Avenue of the Dead and the pyramids in it's center

An Ancient City

The first human establishment in the Teotihuacan area dates back to 600 BC, and until 200 BCE the site consisted of scattered small villages. The total estimated population of the Teotihuacan Valley during this time was approximately 6,000. From 100 BCE to 750 CE, Teotihuacan evolved into a huge urban and administrative center with cultural influences throughout the broader region, making it the largest urban center of Mesoamerica, almost 1000 years before the Aztecs. 

Ruins of the city of Teotihuacan 

The city of Teotihuacan, built around 200 AD, included a huge metropolis, encompassing about 8 square miles with an estimated population 125,000 or more, making it at least the sixth-largest city in the world at that time. The city’s layout integrated natural elements of the Valley, such as the San Juan River, whose course was altered to cross the Avenue of the Dead. In the city center were the Sun and Moon pyramids, connected by the Avenue of the Dead flanked by huge palaces and ceremonial structures and temples.

View (taken from the Internet) of the Avenue of the Dead 
with the Pyramid of the Sun on the left

Teotihuacan may have lasted until sometime between the 7th and 8th centuries AD, but its major monuments were sacked and burned around 550 AD. Its collapse might be related to the extreme weather events of 535–536. possibly caused by the eruption of the Ilopango volcano in El Salvador.

Vendors hawking hats, souvenirs and various "mementos"
behind the remains of a building

Believed to have been built by an unknown cultural group sometimes simply called the Teotihuacanos. around 200 AD,  the Pyramid of the Sun is the largest building in Teotihuacan, and one of the largest in Mesoamerica. Along with the Pyramid of the Moon, it is believed to have been the site of ceremonial ritual sacrifices. 

Pyramid of the Sun. Unfortunately, the public is no longer able
climb up the Pyramid. However, given its height, the steep steps
and the heat we were content to admire from below.

Engraved in stone along the wall of
a temple is a depiction of the "feathered
serpent" Quetzalcoatl

Quetzalcoatl was an Aztec and Mayan creator god, the patron of rain, science,
agriculture, and more. The name means Feathered Serpent in Nahuatl,
the Aztec language, a combination of the green quetzal bird and a serpent. 

This structure was thought to have been part of the Palace or
temple of Quetzalcoatl

A familiar site, we followed our guide who
we were to recognize by his little
doll on a stick.

Museo Nacional de Antropología

The fountain in the main courtyard

In keeping with our “historic” focus, we entered the spacious courtyard of the National Museum of Anthropology. A lot of our previous experiences, including Alma’s wealth of information, made the past come alive. Besides the stunning architecture the vast collection of stone sculptures, monuments and artifacts relating to the places we had just visited seemed like visiting old friends. 

Many of the gods, important creatures and the various cultures we had seen fragments of started to take on a deeper understanding. Truly this was a museum you could spend days, or weeks even. (If you could read Spanish well….) We also had quite an elegant lunch at a lakeside restaurant to rest our weary legs. My legs and feet get much more tired walking slowly and standing.

Yours truly standing in front of a ceremonial
headless made of macaw feathers.
(Very appropriate for me since I had several 
macaws as pets for many years)

Another headless made from Amazon parrot
feathers (another favorite pet)

A diorama showing what a market day might
have looked at doing the Mexica/Aztec times

A school group studying an ancient sculpture

Parque de Chapultepec

After another rambling, but fascinating lecture by Alma Lilia Roura, officially an art historian (but so much more), we boarded our little bus and started our journey through the City along the famous Paseo de la Reforma to the huge Parque de Chapultepec. This route took us past several well known monuments including the Angel of Independence, towering at 36 feet above its busy traffic circle. 

Posters commemorating the college students that disappeared
several years ago are not forgotten

La Reforma - A busy Street known for its memorials to Mexican independence, and beautiful buildings

Topped with a gold plated bronze angel, the monument marks Mexico’s 100 years from Spanish rule. It is also the site of celebrations and demonstrations. Many modern innovative buildings towered above us as  we drove through the financial section. At another traffic circle is a beautiful statue of Diana, the huntress, with her bow poised in the air encircled by a fountain. Nearby, appearing to be imbedded in the side of a building is reputed to be her arrow

.

Statue of Diana, the huntress, poised with her bow

Supposedly, Diana's arrow (bronze)
became imbedded in a nearby building

The site of 1968 Summer Olympics now

has stadiums, tennis courts and sports facilities

Parque de Chapultepec

The park is more than twice as large as Central Park in NYC, and among its winding roads, trees and sculptured landscapes several large prestigious museums are housed. In keeping with our “historic” focus, we entered the spacious courtyard of the National Museum of Anthropology. A lot of our previous experiences, including  Alma’s wealth of information, made the past come alive. 

Public transportation stop in the Parque