Breakaway Destination Guides (International)

Teötïhuacán is an enormous archaeological site in the Basin of Mexico, containing some of the largest pyramidal structures built in the pre-Columbian Americas. Apart from the pyramidal structures, Teöïhuacán is also known for its large residential complexes, the so-called "Avenue of the Dead", and numerous colorful, well-preserved murals.

At its zenith in the first half of the 1st millennium CE, Teötïihuacán was the largest city in the pre-Columbian Americas. At this time it may have had more than 100,000 inhabitants, placing it among the largest cities of the world in this period.

The civilization and cultural complex associated with the site is also referred to as Teöïhuacán or Teotihuacano. Although it is a subject of debate whether Teötïhuacan was the center of a state empire, its influence throughout Mesoamerica is well documented.

The name Teötïhuacán was given by the Nahuatl-speaking Aztec centuries after the fall of the city. The term has been glossed as "birthplace of the gods", reflecting Nahua creation myths that were said to occur in Teötïhuacán.

The early history of Teotïhuacán is quite mysterious, and the origin of its founders is debated. For many years, archaeologists believed it was built by the Toltec. The Nahuatl word "Toltec" generally means "craftsman of the highest level" and may not always refer to the Toltec civilization centered at Tula, Hidalgo.

Chichen Itza "At the mouth of the well of the Itza" is a large pre-Columbian archaeological site built by the Maya civilization located in the northern center of the Yucatán Peninsula, in the Yucatán state, present-day Mexico.

Chichen Itza was a major regional focal point in the northern Maya lowlands from the Late Classic through the Terminal Classic and into the early portion of the Early Postclassic period.

The site exhibits a multitude of architectural styles, from what is called "Mexicanized" and reminiscent of styles seen in central Mexico to the Puuc style found among the Puuc Maya of the northern lowlands.

The ruins of Chichen Itza are federal property, and the site's stewardship is maintained by Mexico's Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia (National Institute of Anthropology and History, INAH). The land under the monuments, however, is privately-owned by the Barbachano family.

The Maya name "Chich'en Itza"" means "At the mouth of the well of the Itza." This derives from chi', meaning "mouth" or "edge", and ch'e'en, meaning "well". Itzá is the name of an ethnic-lineage group that gained political and economic dominance of the northern peninsula.