Monte Albán, Pre-Columbian archaeological site in Santa Cruz Xoxocotlán, Mexico.
Monte Albán is an archaeological site on mountain terraces in Santa Cruz Xoxocotlán, Mexico, rising to 1940 meters and containing pyramids, plazas and ceremonial buildings spread across a broad summit. The central plaza is surrounded by low platforms, stone stairways and carved monuments arranged in a clear spatial order.
The settlement served as the Zapotec capital starting around 500 BCE and remained occupied until roughly 800 CE. During the fourteenth century, Mixtec groups reused the abandoned structures for burials and religious ceremonies.
The name refers to the white limestone slopes that appear snow-covered from a distance, giving the site its Spanish designation meaning White Mountain. Inscriptions and burial offerings show how astronomical cycles guided planting and harvest seasons, shaping daily routines for generations of farmers and priests.
The climb involves steep paths and visitors should wear sturdy shoes and prepare for long walks in changeable weather conditions. Views across the valleys are clearest in the morning when the sun is lower and the air is cooler.
One structure breaks the straight alignment of other platforms by facing southwest instead of following the general axis, suggesting connections to distant settlements. This orientation helped observers track solstices and equinoxes for calendar purposes.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
