0.2 Mystic Places- Monte Albán, Zapotec Archaeological Site. Mexico
Monte Albán is a large pre-Columbian archaeological site in the Santa Cruz Xoxocotlán Municipality in the southern Mexican state of Oaxaca. The site is located on a low mountainous range rising above the plain in the central section of the Valley of Oaxaca. The present-day state capital Oaxaca City is located approximately 9 km (6 mi) east of Monte Albán.
The Monte Albán site is situated atop an artificially-leveled ridge, which with an elevation of about 1,940 m (6,400 ft) above mean sea level rises some 400 m (1,300 ft) from the valley floor.
The site is characterized by several hundred artificial terraces, and a dozen clusters of mounded architecture covering the entire ridgeline and surrounding flanks.
Besides being one of the earliest cities of Mesoamerica, Monte Albán's importance stems also from its role as the pre-eminent Zapotec socio-political and economic center for close to a thousand years. Founded toward the end of the Middle Formative period at around 500 BC.
by the Terminal Formative period (ca.100 BC-AD 200) Monte Albán had become the capital of a large-scale expansionist polity that dominated much of the Oaxacan highlands and interacted with other Mesoamerican regional states such as Teotihuacan to the north.
The city had lost its political pre-eminence by the end of the Late Classic (ca. AD 500-750) and soon thereafter was largely abandoned.
The etymology of the site's present-day name is unclear!
Copyright (C) J. Alexander Photography 2013
Zapotec Ruins of Monte Alban Oaxaca Mexico
Monte Albán is a large pre-Columbian archaeological site in the Santa Cruz Xoxocotlán Municipality in the southern Mexican state of Oaxaca (17.043° N, 96.767°W). The site is located on a low mountainous range rising above the plain in the central section of the Valley of Oaxaca where the latter's northern Etla, eastern Tlacolula, and southern Zimatlán & Ocotlán (or Valle Grande) branches meet. The present-day state capital Oaxaca City is located approximately 9 km (6 mi) east of Monte Albán.
The partially excavated civic-ceremonial center of the Monte Albán site is situated atop an artificially-leveled ridge, which with an elevation of about 1,940 m (6,400 ft) above mean sea level rises some 400 m (1,300 ft) from the valley floor, in an easily defensible location. In addition to the monumental core, the site is characterized by several hundred artificial terraces, and a dozen clusters of mounded architecture covering the entire ridgeline and surrounding flanks.[1] The archaeological ruins on the nearby Atzompa and El Gallo hills to the north are traditionally considered to be an integral part of the ancient city as well.
Besides being one of the earliest cities of Mesoamerica, Monte Albán's importance stems also from its role as the pre-eminent Zapotec socio-political and economic center for close to a thousand years. Founded toward the end of the Middle Formative period at around 500 BC, by the Terminal Formative (ca.100 BC-AD 200) Monte Albán had become the capital of a large-scale expansionist polity that dominated much of the Oaxacan highlands and interacted with other Mesoamerican regional states such as Teotihuacan to the north (Paddock 1983; Marcus 1983). The city had lost its political pre-eminence by the end of the Late Classic (ca. AD 500-750) and soon thereafter was largely abandoned. Small-scale reoccupation, opportunistic reutilization of earlier structures and tombs, and ritual visitations marked the archaeological history of the site into the Colonial period.
The etymology of the site's present-day name is unclear, and tentative suggestions regarding its origin range from a presumed corruption of a native Zapotec name to a colonial-era reference to a Spanish soldier by the name Montalbán or to the Alban Hills of Italy. The ancient Zapotec name of the city is not known, as abandonment occurred centuries before the writing of the earliest available ethnohistorical sources.
Oaxaca Day Tour to Monte Alban Cuilapam Convent
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Monte Albán, Oaxaca, Mexico, 2016
Monte Albán is a large pre-Columbian archaeological site in the Santa Cruz Xoxocotlán Municipality in the southern Mexican state of Oaxaca. Wikipedia
The Most Amazing Ruins in Mexico! | Monte Alban
Monte Alban is a short distance from Oaxaca City in the Southern Mexican state of Oaxaca. You can go to Monte Alban on your own, but I opted to take a tour so that I could learn more about these little-known ruins.
Read more about my travels here:
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Geography of Monte Alban Archaeological site near Oaxaca, Mexico
Monte Alban is a large pre-Columbian archaeological site in the southern Mexican state of Oaxaca. In addition to being one of the earliest cities of Mesoamerica, Monte Alban is important because it served as the center of Zapotec life and culture for close to a thousand years. The ruins of Monte Alban are visible from anywhere in the central part of the Valley of Oaxaca, and have always attracted large numbers of visitors, explorers and researchers.
In this video Ivan, our tour guide, discusses the geography of region near Oaxaca, Mexico where Monte Alban is located.
Zapotec and Mixtecan Culture at Monte Alban
Monte Alban is a large pre-Columbian archaeological site in the southern Mexican state of Oaxaca. In addition to being one of the earliest cities of Mesoamerica, Monte Alban is important because it served as the center of Zapotec life and culture for close to a thousand years. The ruins of Monte Alban are visible from anywhere in the central part of the Valley of Oaxaca, and have always attracted large numbers of visitors, explorers and researchers.
In this video Ivan, our tour guide, talks about the Zapotec culture that once inhabited Monte Alban. The Zapotecs are an indigenous people of Mexico. The population is concentrated in the southern state of Oaxaca, but Zapotec communities exist in neighboring states as well. The present-day population is estimated at approximately 300,000 to 400,000 persons, many of whom are monolingual in one of the native Zapotec languages and dialects. In pre-Columbian times the Zapotec civilization was one of the highly developed cultures of Mesoamerica, which among other things included a system of writing.
Mexico: The City of Oaxaca.
The City of Oaxaca is a UNESCO heritage site known for its historic artist's colony set in the rugged Sierra Madre Mountains of Mexico. It is also an ideal base from which we explore the archaeological sites of Monte Albán and Mitla and the extraordinary petrified beauty of Hierve el Agua. Ancestors of the Zápotecs and Mixtecs can be traced back nearly 11,000 years and following the Spanish conquest in the 16th century, Dominican missionaries founded fabulous churches, monasteries, and convents. Many buildings still exist and the baroque architecture of the Cathedral, the Church of Santo Domingo, and the Convent of Santa Catalina (now a hotel), have all been beautifully restored. A walk through the city reveals a shopper's paradise of gold filigree and silver handcrafted jewelry, black pottery and hand-woven crafts. For more information visit ontopoftheworld.net and check out episode 64 in the international category.
Monte Alban - archaelogical site in Mexico
2,500 year old Monte Albán is a large pre-Columbian archaeological site in the southern Mexican state of Oaxaca. Besides being one of the earliest cities of Mesoamerica, Monte Albán's importance stems also from its role as the pre-eminent Zapotec socio-political and economic center for close to a thousand years.
Zapotec Lifestyle at Monte Alban
Monte Alban is a large pre-Columbian archaeological site in the southern Mexican state of Oaxaca. In addition to being one of the earliest cities of Mesoamerica, Monte Alban is important because it served as the center of Zapotec life and culture for close to a thousand years. The ruins of Monte Alban are visible from anywhere in the central part of the Valley of Oaxaca, and have always attracted large numbers of visitors, explorers and researchers.
In this video Ivan, our tour guide, talks about the Zapotec culture that once inhabited Monte Alban. The Zapotecs are an indigenous people of Mexico. The population is concentrated in the southern state of Oaxaca, but Zapotec communities exist in neighboring states as well. The present-day population is estimated at approximately 300,000 to 400,000 persons, many of whom are monolingual in one of the native Zapotec languages and dialects. In pre-Columbian times the Zapotec civilization was one of the highly developed cultures of Mesoamerica, which among other things included a system of writing.
What to Do in Oaxaca - Visit Monte Alban!
A day trip to Monte Alban is super easy when you visit Oaxaca. I highly recommend checking out this amazing site and learning more about all of the different cultures that lived here. Our guide was awesome!
Read more about life in Mexico City on my blog:
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INSIDE OAXACA'S ZAPOTEC RUINS - MITLA
Mitla is the second most important archaeological site in the state of Oaxaca in Mexico, and the most important of the indigenous Zapotec culture.
Mitla itself was inhabited at least since the Classic Period (100-650 CE) and perhaps from as early as 900 BCE.
The temples were used as a funeral ceremonial site. The designs contain geometric patterns. When the Spanish colonists arrived, they ordered the obliteration of the temples and built Catholic churches using the stones and materials from the temples. The theory as to why some buildings are still standing is due to the small geometric stones which were unusable for constructing the church.
Follow us as we walk through this archaeological treasure located outside the city of Oaxaca.
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Monte Albán - 2019
Monte Albán - Southern Mexican state of Oaxaca. Monte Albán is located 2000m above sea level on an artificially flattened hilltop and was the religious center of the Zapotecs, later the Mixtecs. Its heyday was between 300 and 900 AD.
Monte Alban
Visit to the hill top ruins of Monte Alban, the capital of the Zapotec Empire for 1200 years
CIUDAD DE OAXACA, MEXICO 2014 HD
OAXACA DE JUÁREZ CITY
OAXACA VÁROSA MEXIKÓ
Monte Alban
Monte Alban is the site of the spectacular Zapotec indian ruins near Oaxaca City in southern Mexico.
Oaxaca, Mexico
Oaxaca City is located in Mexico's southern region in the middle of a zone surrounded by four valleys. Behind the valleys lie three important mountain ranges, which keep the climate mild with an average temperature of 18º C (64º F).
In this city, the capital of the state of Oaxaca, you can admire the beautiful architecture of the buildings in the Centro Historico (Historic Center), which was declared a World Heritage Site by the UNESCO. The edifices include la Catedral (The Cathedral), el Templo y ex Convento de Santo Domingo de Guzman (The Temple and Ex-Convent of Saint Domingo de Guzman), la Basilica de la Soledad (The Basilica of Solitude) and el Teatro Macedonio Alcala (The Macedonio Alcala Theater), among other magnificent colonial and 19th-century constructions. As you visit the main plaza, the numerous establishments surrounding the Historic Center, and the traditional markets, such as Benito Juarez and 20 de Noviembre, you'll find all kinds of crafts that come from various regions of Oaxaca. Among the most popular crafts are the colorful alebrijes, swords, wool garments and beautiful black pottery. At some of the more traditional places you can try the delicious local fare, such as tamales, mole dishes and Oaxacan cheese. Another favorite is Oaxaca's famous mezcal, a regional alcoholic beverage made from the maguey plant.
In the city's surrounding areas, you can visit archaeological zones Monte Alban and Mitla, pre-Hispanic capitals of the Zapotec and Mixtec people. If you visit the town of Santa Maria de Tule, you can marvel at the famous Arbol del Tule (Tule Tree). What's more, the magnificent natural scenery at Parque Nacional Benito Juarez and the spectacular fossilized waterfalls at Hierve el Agua are certain to impress you. All of these places are relatively close to Oaxaca City, one of Mexico's most charming cities.
oaxaca.gob.mx
Oaxaca Mexico Best Day Tour Mitla Hierve el Agua El Tule
Here is the link discussed in this video:
Here are the best retire cheap locations in the world:
Please use the following links to book travel and tours. They will cost you nothing extra but we will earn a small commission to help us keep traveling and writing travel guides.
Cheapest flights anywhere in the world:
Accommodations anywhere in the world:
Booking:
Hotelscombined:
Cheap Tours Worldwide:
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Thank you
Dan
The world is your home. What time will you be home for dinner?
Mexico Oaxaca People
Colonial Oaxaca city is elegant and fascinating cultural hub.
Demographically, Oaxaca stands out due to the high percentage of indigenous peoples.
wonders of mexico 2
Some pictures of well known ruins of Mexico ( Montealban, Mitla ruins). These are located in Oaxaca Mexico, a southern state of mexico.