Museo del Templo Mayor, Mexico City

Museo del Templo Mayor.
(Main Temple Museum).

The city's turbulent past is well preserved in Museo del Templo Mayor that features the remains of the main ceremonial pyramid, the most sacred site of the Aztec Empire.

The museum holds about 7,000 pieces (not all displayed) unearthed from other ruins in central Mexico and many of them from the more than 110 offerings to the gods, as well as sculptures, reliefs and various items from the Templo Mayor.

The museum has eight halls. Halls in the south wing are dedicated to 'Huitzilopochtli', God of War, and halls in the north wing to 'Tláloc', God of Rain.

The centerpiece is an 8 ton rock discovered in 1978 by an electric grid worker at the corner of Guatemala St. and Argentina St.
Arqueologist Angel García Cook leaded the Equipo de Salvamento Arqueológico (Archeologic Recue Team) from February 23rd until bring to light the monolith and 5 offerings close to in April 15th, 1978.
The carved stone disk, buried for centuries, depicts the dismembered body of the moon goddess 'Coyolxauhqui', according to investigations of archoelogist Felipe Solís.

Explorations in site finishes in 1982, then some buildings were demolished to uncover the remains of Templo Mayor and build a museum within an 12,900 sq meter area.

Inaugurated on October 12th, 1987, this museum preserves, exhibits and publishes information on archaeological materials excavated by the Proyecto Templo Mayor (Main Temple Project), managed by renowned archeologist Eduardo Matos Moctezuma, from 1978 to nowadays.

It's an interesting museum that gives a great overview on Aztec civilization. An useful instrument for professionals. A source of pleasure for visitors interested in ancient civilizations.
On the other hand, ruins and objects displayed are a visible reminder of the destruction of Mexico's culture by Spanish conquerors and Catholic rulers 678 years ago...

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There is an excavated area right behind the cathedral with what remains of the main temple in the Aztecs' Tenochtitlan. Next to it there is a museum with displays on history of the Aztec religion and other historic info. Check out the wall of sculls...

The Museo del Templo Mayor and the Templo Mayor are wonderful. The temple is not as impressive as the ones at Teotihuacan. The site is in pieces, but the museum has some wonderful artifacts that have been recovered.