El Tajín

El Tajín is one of Mexico's most important and best-preserved archaeological monuments. This pre-Columbian settlement is surrounded by verdant hills and is located in the state of Veracruz, a few kilometers from the town of Papantla. It is the legacy of the Totonac civilization, which for a long period was overshadowed by their mighty Aztec neighbors, who were well entrenched in the Central Mexican Plateau.

The massive remains of El Tajín are dominated by a pyramidal structure known as Pirámide los Nichos (Pyramid of the Niches). This stone structure has seven floors and 365 square windows on all four sides. These would symbolize each day of the year and constitute a civil calendar with astronomical functions. Archaeologists have discovered approximately 200 additional buildings, just a tiny percentage of which may be explored.

According to experts, El Tajín is mainly unexplored and has numerous secrets. No other pre-Columbian site, for example, has as many ball fields. For many years, the archaeological zone of El Tajín has been linked to the neighboring Parque Takilhsukut, a cultural and musical center dedicated to Totonac traditions. Every day, a spectacular display of flying men takes place in front of the pre-Hispanic city's main gate. This distinguishing feature, the ball game, is unquestionably fundamental to Mesoamerican societies. This panel is well represented in the National Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City. In the Green Area of the Gulf Coast Room, we may stroll right up to diverse features of the Gulf Cultures.