Ancient City of the Toltecs

Every now and then it’s nice to escape the city for a little while, even if just for a few hours. This past Saturday we traveled north of Mexico City to the state of Hidalgo to visit the town of Tula de Allende and the nearby Tula archaeological site. Tula’s not an especially large site when compared with others in the region, for example the pyramids at Teotihuacán, but it is impressive and well-known. One of the things that makes it so interesting is the group of columns carved in the form of Toltec warriors that are located on the top of the main pyramid. These giant stone figures, called Atlantes, are Tula’s main attraction — and they’re huge; that’s me standing alongside them!

According to signs posted at the archaeological site, this main pyramid was one of the ancient city’s most important buildings, dedicated to the worship of royalty and the ruling dynasties of Tula. In pre-Hispanic times, these giant stone sculptures would not have been visible to the public, instead they would have been used to support the roof of an ancient temple that was built on the top of the pyramid. The Atlantes are believed to represent high-ranking military officers, while the reliefs represent the kings and rulers of the ancient city.

Tula was an important city from around AD 950 to 1150 and was later abandoned sometime during the early 13th century. The ruins that are open to visitors today comprise what once made up the city’s ceremonial center and they’re just a small part of the 16-sq-km site. Tula was home to the Toltecs, a culture separate from the Aztecs. Interestingly, the architecture and iconography found at the Tula archaeological site is often compared to that of Chichén Itzá on Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula. I noticed similarities in the pillars constructed around the base of the pyramid as well as some of the carvings. (Check out my photos from an earlier visit to Chichén Itzá.)

And here’s the view in the opposite direction toward the town of Tula de Allende:

On the pyramid’s north wall are the carvings of jaguars, coyotes and eagles. The carvings cover the entire wall and the images are quite easy to make out.

Located nearby, the Serpent Wall, or Coatepantli, is a 40m long and 2.25m high wall of carvings. There are rows of geographic patterns, snakes and skeletons. The shades of color that you see here are all that remain of the once brightly painted site.

While at the archaeological site you’ll also want to check out the Gran Vestíbulo, which extends along the front of the pyramid facing the plaza, the Palacio Quemado, a series of courtyards with reliefs located just west of the pyramid, the Juego de Pelota, or ball court, as well as wander through the plaza before heading back into town.

If you have the time, it’s also worth getting to know the town of Tula de Allende. Tula’s central plaza, or zócalo, is a pretty place to enjoy the relaxed pace of small town life. A few pedestrianized streets lined with colorful buildings lead out from the zócalo. On the far right side of the zócalo, as you’re heading back toward the bus terminal, is a colorful mural depicting the town’s history. Across the street and to your right is the town’s cathedral. With its fortress-like stone exterior and simplistic interior, it was once part of the 16th-century monastery of San José. Inside the cathedral, in a separate room off to the side you’ll find an alter to the Virgin of Guadalupe.

If You Go: Tula’s an easy and inexpensive day trip from Mexico City. Our bus left Mexico City’s Terminal Norte at 9:30am and by 11:45am we were already at the site. Autobuses Ovnibus travels direct from Mexico City to Tula. The ride takes one hour and forty five minutes and costs 80 pesos each way. Second class buses also make the journey for 65 pesos, but the ride takes longer. The easiest way to get from the Tula bus terminal to the archaeological site is via taxi. Taxis outside the terminal charge 35 pesos. You’ll need to exit the site and walk out to the highway to catch a cab back into town. Admission to the site costs 41 pesos. A couple of hours at the site is sufficient to tour the ruins and site museum. We took our time exploring both the town and ruins and still managed to make it back to Mexico City before the early evening rain showers.

The current exchange rate is 11.7 pesos to the USD.

México Today, in association with Marca País – Imagen de México, is a joint public and private sector initiative designed to help promote Mexico as a global business partner and an unrivaled tourist destination. This program is designed to shine a light on the Mexico that its people experience every day.

Disclosure: I am being compensated for my role as a contributing writer for México Today; my opinions, as always, are my own.

Tagged as: archaeological site, Mexico City day trips