Puebla

We explored the beautiful city of the Puebla yesterday.

Great fountain in the central Plaza 

Puebla's 1600s cathedral rises in sharp contrast to the modern sculpture. I was told there are over 365 churches in Puebla. I saw quite a few today.

Puebla is known for it's fine tiles. They adorn many of the building around town.

We visited the Biblioteca Palafoxiana. It was started by Bishop Juan de Palafox y Mendoza in 1646. Today ig houses more than 45,000 volumes and 5,345 manuscripts that encompass from the 15th to the 20th century.

Entrance

We also discovered a free classical concert. 

I love all the vibrant colored buildings.

Artisan shops

Street performers are everywhere.

Ruth, Denise and Bob checking out the bullet holes.

Churro time. We passed this shop several time, and every time was a line. We gave in, queue up and had some warm delicious churros.

Got to love the creativity. Yes, the walking stick is the only thing that makes contact with the street.

Tepotzotlan

I took a stroll around this lovely town. 

This statue of Christ is not in its final resting place. I believe that it will be installed upright in the near future.

Great lunch at the central market.

Tacos Longaniza were great.

In the 1580s the Jesuits started construction on the Church of San Francisco and the attached schools for teaching indigenous languages to Jesuit evangelists, a school for Indian boys and the College of San Francisco. Today the church and education complex are all part of the World Heritage Virreinato National Museum.  Though all signs were Spanish, I did enjoy the beautiful objects. 

Pre-spanish

The Spanish invasion begins

The Church of San Francisco in now part of the museum. The alters are carved wood overplayed with 23.5 karat gold leaf. This is the most extravagant church I have visited. 

Pablo III concede a ignacio la bula aprobatoria de la compañía de Jesus

Paul III Grant to Ignacio the approving bull the company of Jesus

Vision of Santo Domingo de Guzman

Stunning stone floors worn smooth over the centuries 

Serene inner courtyard.

This is a huge museum and well worth a look.

Teotihuacan

The Teotihuacan culture built these magnificent monuments starting around 100 BC and ending around 250 AD. A city of 250,000 people encircled this central ceremonial center. The major monuments were sacked and systematically burned around 550 AD. 600 years later the Aztecs discovered a deserted city sliding into ruin.

This residence of the elite survived with some of its original plaster and carved columns intact.

Courtyard of the Pillars 

Standing atop the Pyramid of the Moon

Looking south down the Avenue of the Dead to the Pyramid of the Sun. The platforms along each side are thought to have been crowned with homes for the elite. 

Notice that some of the rocks have small stones embedded in the mortar around them. Archeologists do this to indicate that this area has been reconstructed.

At the south end of the Avenue of the Dead are a series of shallow reservoirs 

The 216 foot high Pyramid of the Sun. 

The pyramid was coated in plaster and painted. Red and green were popular colors. The stones protruding out of the surface held the plaster in place.

Atop the Pyramid of the Sun.