Monte Albán - Introduction to the Walking Tour

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by Dorothy and Bill Bell

One of the oldest archeological sites in Mexico, Monte Alban’s builders started their massive city well before Teotihuacan or any Aztec city. The top of a hill was leveled to make way for the main plaza in 500 to 100 BC. The area was massive - 300 X 180 meters - was paved with white stucco. Portions of the plaza that could not be leveled were used as the base for the central plaza buildings.

Construction around the main plaza also began; the Northern platform and some of the buildings on the east side including the dancers. Some believe the layout of the site and the main plaza symbolized the Zapotec religious belief system with the southern platform representing the underworld, the Northern Platform with the celestial. The plaza and specifically the ball court connected the worlds of human and the world of Gods. The Central plaza was the place most civic-ceremonial rituals were located as well as where the elite-residential structures were located.

After you pay your entrance fee and walk up the hill you will first see the Ball Court and the expansive Central Plaza. To ensure you cover everything, we suggest you follow this route.

The walking route we recommend is to explore in the following order:

1) the Eastern Group starting with the Ball Court

2) the Southern Platform

3) the Central Plaza buildings

4) the Western Group

5) the Northern Platform

6) the Tombs

7) the Museum