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| 1063 Pre-Columbian archaeological site of Monte Albán (1) |
Posted on 22.04.2014, 14.05.2015
This World Heritage property, located in the central valleys of Oaxaca, in the depression formed between the Sierra Madre Oriental and the Sierra Madre del Sur, is composed of two distinct cultural sites: the historic centre of Oaxaca de Juarez (a good example of Spanish colonial town planning) and the pre-Columbian archaeological site of Monte Albán, consisting of terraces, dams, canals, pyramids and artificial mounds carved out of the mountain, the symbols of a sacred topography. Inhabited over a period of 1,500 years by a succession of peoples (Olmecs, Zapotecs and Mixtecs), the site is known for its unique dimensions which exhibit the basic chronology and artistic style of the region and for the remains of magnificent temples, ball court, tombs and bas-reliefs with hieroglyphic inscriptions.
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| 1580 Pre-Columbian archaeological site of Monte Albán (2) |
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The grand Zapotec capital flourished for thirteen centuries, from the year 500 B.C to 850 A.D. when, for reasons that have not been established, its eventual abandonment began. The main part of the ceremonial centre forms a 300m esplanade running north-south with a platform at either end, constructed during the Monte Albán II and the Monte Albán III phases. Phase II corresponds to the urbanization of the site, the construction of terraces on the sides of the hills, and the development of a system of dams and conduits. The final phases of Monte Albán IV and V were marked by the transformation of the sacred city into a fortified town. Excellent planning is evidenced in the position of the line buildings erected north to south, harmonized with both empty spaces and volumes.
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