Great Pyramid of Cholula

The Great Pyramid of Cholula, locally called Tlachihualtepetl, is a vast earthen-and-stone pyramid complex near the city of Cholula in Puebla, Mexico, known for being the largest pyramid in the world by volume. A Spanish colonial church, Nuestra Señora de los Remedios, stands on the summit of the mound.

The visible mound is the result of many building phases carried out over centuries by successive Mesoamerican communities; archaeological work has revealed multiple platforms and construction campaigns. Visitors can walk the exterior, see the summit church, and in parts enter controlled archaeological tunnels that expose construction methods and recovered artifacts.

Construction began in the preclassic period and continued through the Classic and Postclassic eras, with the complex serving religious and ceremonial functions for regional polities. After the Spanish conquest the summit was topped by a chapel and the site was partially incorporated into the colonial landscape.

The pyramid sits in the modern town of San Andrés Cholula, on the Puebla-Tlaxcala plain at the edge of the metropolitan area of Puebla. It is a short drive from central Puebla and is one of the major archaeological and cultural attractions in the state of Puebla.

• Scale: Recognised as the largest pyramid in the world by volume; the mound's base extends roughly 450 by 450 metres with a height of several dozen metres above the surrounding plain.
• Best viewpoint: The colonial church at the summit provides one of the best panoramic viewpoints across the Puebla plain and of nearby Popocatépetl on clear days.

What to See #

• Main pyramid (Tlachihualtepetl): The earthen pyramid mound - a stepped-looking naturalized hill whose core is a massive man-made platform built in multiple phases, representing the main archaeological structure.
• Nuestra Señora de los Remedios: The Spanish-era church of Nuestra Señora de los Remedios perched atop the mound, built in the colonial period and offering panoramic views over the surrounding plain and the volcano Popocatépetl on clear days.
• Excavation tunnels and site museum: Extensive excavation galleries and tunnels opened by archaeologists and conservators that allow internal inspection of construction phases and recovered artifacts.