
Calixtlahuaca
The prosperous city of Matlazinca, between the Mexica empire and the Purépecha zone of influence. Conquered by the Mexicas in 1474, the remains date from this period. Notable for the rounded bases of the Temple of Ehecatl-Quetzalcoatl, with its tzompantli (wall of skulls).
Otomi, Teotihuacano, Toltec, Mazahua, Matlatzinca and Nahua groups settled in the Toluca Valley in pre-Hispanic times.
Olmec-influenced organized groups invaded in the Preclassic period (1000 BC to 150 AD). From 250 AD, the Teotihuacanos occupied the Toluca Valley and Calixtlahuaca, as well as other sites, owing to the diversity of resources they offered for subsistence. It was the Teotihuacanos who introduced customs and rites such as the Mesoamerican ballgame and the cult of Quetzalcóatl and Tláloc.
When Teotihuacan fell, there was a Toltec invasion of Calixtlahuaca. The Toltecs were then supplanted by the Matlatzincas, who called themselves the Nepinthathuhui (“those from the land of maize”). Their zenith lasted between 1116 and 1476.
Between 1472 to 1476, the Mexicas (together with Axayácatl and the Triple Alliance) conquered the Matlatzincas under the command of Moctezuma Xocoyotzin and imposed the payment of tribute, as shown in the Tribute Roll.
The Calixtlahuaca-San Marcos Archeological Monument Zone is distributed along a segment of Cerro Tenismó. Monuments 13, 14 and 15, which are not open to the public, are located on the hilltop. Monuments 5 and 6 (South and West monuments) stand halfway up the hillside. These form the group known as El Panteón ("The Cemetery"). Meanwhile, monuments 4 and 7, together with the tzompantli, make up the Tláloc group. Monuments 8, 9, 10 and 11 are not accessible to visitors. Finally, monuments 1 and 3 are located on the lower hillside, and groups 16 and 17 (Calmécac) are on the plain.
The building complexes located on the flank of Cerro Tenismó stand on terraces which were leveled out and then filled in and supported by thick retaining walls.
A tour of the monuments open to the public takes approximately two hours.
- Dirección del Centro INAHNahúm de Jesús Noguera Riconahum_noguera@inah.gob.mx+52 (722) 215 7080Responsable académicoMaría del Carmen Carbajal Correamaria_carbajal@inah.gob.mx+52 (722) 215 7080
Monumento 1
It is located on the lower slope, northeast of the Tenismo hill. The last body dates from the late Postclassic. It is a quadrangular building, in which two constructive stages are appreciated; the stairway is in front of the west.
It is located on the lower slope, northeast of the Tenismo hill. The last body dates from the late Postclassic. It is a quadrangular building, in which two constructive stages are appreciated; the stairway is in front of the west. On a terrace and on a platform rises the structure of rough stone: slabs and faceted tezontle with mud mooring. It was explored and consolidated in 1930 by archaeologist José García Payón. In 2003, Carmen Carbajal restored the monument with interventions in cracks, detachments of stone on the sidewalk and buckling of the north and south walls.
Monumento 3
It is located on the lower northern slope of Cerro Tenismó. Chronologically it dates from the Classic period, but it experienced later changes during the Early, Middle and Late Postclassic. Monument 3 is also known as the Temple of Ehecatl Quetzalcoatl.
It is located on the lower northern slope of Cerro Tenismó. Chronologically it dates from the Classic period, but it experienced later changes during the Early, Middle and Late Postclassic. Monument 3 is also known as the Temple of Ehecatl Quetzalcoatl. It is a circular structure whose stairway is oriented towards the east in its four constructive stages, which are differentiated by the type of stone used for each one of them and by their own stylistic characteristics.
Conjunto Tláloc
It consists of Monuments 4, 7 and a tzompantli. The buildings are distributed on a large terrace, supported to the north by a large wall in the form of a slope.
It consists of Monuments 4, 7 and a tzompantli. The buildings are distributed on a large terrace, supported to the north by a large wall in the form of a slope. Something interesting of this group is that the distribution of the monuments on the platform was made taking into account the physiology of the valley, that is to say, they imitate the hill of the Molcajete and its spill, that moves toward the east.
Monument 7: It is located in the north parameter of the Tlaloc Complex, in the middle northern slope of the Tenismó Hill. Chronologically, its constructive stages go from the Late Classic to the Postclassic. It is a quadrangular structure whose stairway faces south, towards a patio. It is built on a semi-artificial terrace and has a sloping retaining wall. To erect it, a core of rough stone and tepetate was used; the perimeter walls are of facing stone joined with lime and sand mortar, covered with stucco.
Tzompantli: It is located in the central patio of the Tláloc Complex, on the middle northern slope of Cerro Tenismó, in front of Monument 4. It dates from the late Postclassic period and is a cruciform structure erected on the central patio of the complex. With a vertical wall and cornice, nails and skulls carved in the rock were embedded in the circular section. In the superior part there is a cavity with the form of the monument.
Monument 4: It rises on a semi-artificial terrace and has a sloping retaining wall. It is a quadrangular structure whose stairway faces east, towards a patio. Its three bodies and platforms have geometric, square and rectangular shapes. At the top there are traces of a circular temple. Its constructive system is similar to that of Monument 7.
Conjunto El Panteón
It is located on the middle northern slope of Cerro Tenismó, on a terrace. Its chronology goes from the Classic period to the late Postclassic.
It is located on the middle northern slope of Cerro Tenismó, on a terrace. Its chronology goes from the Classic period to the late Postclassic.
Monument 5: It consists of rectangular platforms with stairs, and in it are observed the constructive stages of the different periods differentiated by the dimensions. It was erected with rough stone tied with tepetate and covered according to the type of rock used in each period. It is possible to admire, in the southeast corner, part of the structure that corresponds to the Classic period, when the teotihuacanos shaped in the rock of the walls diverse petroglyphs. For the last constructive stage the profiles of the vertical walls are observed.
Monument 6: Its form is not well defined, but two constructive stages can be observed. Apparently, the access stairway was on the south side.
Grupo Calmécac
It stands out for being the only one where a part of the living area was explored. As in the other monuments it has, among its characteristics, substructures of previous times, that can be noticed in the group of rooms denominated by the archaeologist José García Payón as Calmécac.
It stands out for being the only one where a part of the living area was explored. As in the other monuments it has, among its characteristics, substructures of previous times, that can be noticed in the group of rooms denominated by the archaeologist José García Payón as Calmécac. The complex is integrated to a large plaza framed on its four sides with buildings differentiated by their shape and use.
Great Platform: Rectangular in shape and sloping walls, it has a triple staircase facing northwest, where a plaza delimited by three monuments and a section of rooms with small temples is located. At first sight, two constructive stages can be observed. Of the two upper temples only the traces of the wall starts remain. In the northeast end there is a door in the center of its parametral wall. It is the access to a corridor that leads to the interior of the structure, where there is a niche.
Square: Its main entrance is located at the center of the western boundary, where through a control gate there was access. On both sides of the entrance there are low platforms.
Residential sector: From the plaza, the residential sector is accessed through a short staircase framed with alfardas, which leads to the portico and from there to one of the rooms. Another portico leads to two more rooms, one small and one large, each with a fireplace. The rest of this enclosure is composed by three sectors of rooms defined through corridor and levels; each sector has a small altar and in the rooms there are fireplaces.

