Guachimicaga, Archaeological ruins in Teuchitlán, Mexico

Guachimontones is an archaeological site in Teuchitlán in the Mexican state of Jalisco featuring circular pyramids and terraces. The round structures rise in concentric steps and form a central plaza with surrounding buildings.

The structures were built between 200 BCE and 400 CE as ceremonial centers of the Teuchitlán tradition. This pre-Columbian culture of western Mexico developed a particular architecture with circular floor plans.

The central plaza served as a gathering place for communal ceremonies and religious practices. Residents used the terraces and open space between structures for their rituals.

The complex is accessible during opening hours and includes the Phil Weigand Interpretive Center. Paths lead between the different mounds and terraces.

The main circular structure's floors form a calendar of exactly 52 years, and a long hole at its centre likely held the pole from which a priest swung to imitate a bird's flight. The site covers 90 hectares, but only 1.3 percent has been excavated.