Last Updated on: 16th October 2024, 07:12 pm
Located in the El Pueblito district of Querétaro is one of Mexico’s largest – yet most obscure – ancient pyramids. Just a quick Uber ride away from the city center, the El Cerrito pyramid was long covered in overgrowth and forgotten about before its 20th-century rediscovery.
The trees atop the pyramid have only been cleared away in recent years, revealing how massive this little-known pyramid really is. While not on many travelers’ radars, El Cerrito is one of Mexico’s most exciting new archaeological sites.
The area around El Cerrito was first settled around 300 BC by the Chupícuaro culture before the region was taken over by the Teotihuacanos and then the Toltecs. And it was during Toltec rule that the El Cerrito pyramid was expanded to become one of Mesoamerica’s largest.
Visiting the El Cerrito Pyramid
Though it was free for its first few years of being open to the public, El Cerrito now costs $75 MXN as of 2024. The site is open Wed.-Sun. from 9:00-16:30.
As you make your way to the pyramid, you’ll walk along a trail through a spacious, well-curated garden full of various trees and cacti. In pre-Hispanic times, this all would’ve been part of the ancient city, and a handful of structures have already been uncovered here.
Among them is the ‘Obsidian Altar,’ where archaeologists discovered a cache of stone sculptures and pieces of obsidian. As no written language was used in this region in its heyday, the original name for each structure remains a mystery.
Reaching the end of the path, you’ll walk up a set of stairs and find the massive pyramid in full view ahead of you. The large space in front, meanwhile, is known as Plaza de la Danza. At 70 m by 120 m, it was the largest ceremonial center in the city.
Notably, the wide plaza exists on a flat artificial platform made of stone and earth, the creation of which was surely no easy feat.
While largely empty today, it once would’ve been surrounded by large columns. The plaza also originally featured numerous altars.
As for the pyramid itself, its immense size is surprising given its relative obscurity. The El Cerrito pyramid consists of thirteen tiers and reaches up to 30 m high. And it sits atop a large square platform that measures 118 m per side.
The El Cerrito pyramid is comprised of both basalt and red sandstone. Looking closely, you’ll observe how small each stone is. It’s rather mysterious, as one would imagine that using slightly larger stones would’ve been much more efficient.
The pyramid’s first phase began sometime in between the fall of Teotihuacan and the rise of the Toltecs. It began as an 80 x 80 m pyramid that was 20 m high. But after the Toltec Empire took over (c. 900-1200 AD), they greatly expanded it.
Notably, the El Cerrito pyramid is even much larger than any of the pyramids at the Toltec capital of Tula!
Later on, after the fall of the Toltec Empire in the 12th century, the region was taken over by Chichimec invaders from the north. The Chichimecs are credited with completing the third and final stage of the pyramid around the year 1300.
At certain points in history, the pyramid would’ve been covered in stucco and painted either red or blue. Archaeologists have also discovered chac mool sculptures amongst the rubble which were common at most Toltec sites and even Chichén Itzá.
But over time, the El Cerrito pyramid became covered in overgrowth, eventually becoming indistinguishable from a natural hill. As such, it went undetected by the Spanish for years.
But the locals at the time hadn’t forgotten. Many still continued to climb the pyramid, bringing offerings and performing ceremonies in secret. El Cerrito, in fact, had long been a major center of goddess worship, though we no longer know the name of the particular deity.
Eventually, in 1632, a group of Franciscan friars was tipped off about the forbidden rituals, and they replaced the idol of the goddess in the main shrine with a statue of the Virgin Mary.
With the native population no longer able to perform their rituals, the pyramid’s significance became forgotten over time, and people once again came to see it as a regular hill. El Cerrito, in fact, means ‘little hill’ in Spanish.
Eventually, the land came under the ownership of the Fernández family. And in 1887, they built the house at the top of the pyramid, known as El Fortín, that remains in place to this day.
As the house itself is now classified as a historical structure, it can’t be legally demolished, thus preventing the pyramid from being fully excavated – not unlike the situation at Cholula.
The hill wasn’t confirmed to be a manmade pyramid again until 1941, when parts of the original stone were discovered by archaeologist Carlos Margain. But clearance of the trees and shrubs wouldn’t commence until 1995.
The area was declared an official Archaeological Zone that year to protect it from urban sprawl. As you’ll see during your visit, the pyramid is not located in some remote rural location, but right in the heart of a bustling Querétaro suburb.
El Cerrito, of course, wasn’t just a pyramid, but an entire city and regional capital. While excavations of the surrounding structures are still in their early stages, there are numerous structures over to the side, such as the former Palace, situated next to the Plaza de la Danza.
In the southeast corner of the pyramid, meanwhile, is a wide sunken plaza that stretches out to 72 x 60 m. Archaeologists call it the Plaza of the Sculptures after the many stone sculptures that were discovered here.
The plaza is surrounded on three sides by platforms, on top of which wooden colonnades once stood. Numerous altars have been found atop the platforms as well.
The plaza was also home to a tzompantli, or skull rack. This architectural feature was created by the Toltecs in the 10th century and would later be utilized by groups like the Aztecs.
When finished with the pyramid and its surrounding plazas, take the path back toward the entrance, where you’ll encounter the on-site museum.
During the return trip, you’ll notice a large hill in the distance. Given the El Cerrito pyramid’s history, one can’t help but wonder if it’s natural or possibly manmade!
The El Cerrito Museum
The on-site museum of El Cerrito is a modern museum with informative exhibitions on the history of the site along with numerous cultural traditions of the Toltecs.
For example, you’ll learn about Toltec origin myths as well as the traditional Mesoamerican view on the multiple planes of the universe. Unfortunately, however, at the time of writing, the information is only in Spanish.
One especially interesting model for pyramid lovers is a side-by-side comparison of the El Cerrito pyramid with others in Mexico. It’s still dwarfed by Teotihuacan’s Pyramid of the Moon (which in turn is smaller than the Pyramid of the Sun).
But it’s also clearly bigger than Chichén Itzá’s El Castillo, one of Mexico’s most famous structures. And as this comparison demonstrates, the El Cerrito pyramid was much taller than the pyramids at the Toltecs’ own capital.
One of the most remarkable ancient artifacts on display here is a Toltec decorative piece known as a coronamiento that was used to decorate temples. As beautiful as it is to look at, its true meaning remains up for debate.
Another highlight of the museum are various maps displaying the numerous trade routes of the Toltec Empire. As many familiar with Mesaomerican history are aware, the Toltecs had close ties with the Mayan world to the south and east.
But they also traded extensively with what’s now the American Southwest. It’s highly likely, then, that the Macaw feathers from southern Mexico that mysteriously ended up in Chaco Canyon and sites in Utah, for example, once passed through El Cerrito!
Additional Info
Querétaro is a fast-growing city of over a million residents, with a charming, albeit small, historical center at its core. And as is the case with many Mexican cities of its size, the main bus terminal is quite far from the city center.
Wanting to experience the city while also using it as a base for day trips, I was debating whether to stay in the historical center or closer to the bus terminal. But in Querétaro’s case, the main bus terminal is surrounded by highway overpasses and simply cannot be walked to (at least as far as I could tell).
That leaves the historical center area as the only logical option if you’re visiting Querétaro as a tourist.
One of the top-rated hotels in the center is Hotel Hidalgo (around $40 USD per night plus tax). Those looking for something slightly cheaper may want to consider Hi Hotel Impala Queretaro, while there are also plenty of options on Airbnb.
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