Today, we took a quick jaunt to the Cuilcuilco pyramid, which is well within the city limits now, south of the UNAM. To get there, we went to Etiopía metro, then took the Metrobus Line 2 and then switched to Line 1. The Metrobus was absolutely packed, our poor boys were squished between people, but by the time we got to Villa Olímpica, it was a bit better and were able to get off. The Cuicuilco pyramids lies but a short walk away from that station. For anyone else planning on going, I recommend taking the Metrobus from Félix Cuevas station instead, as  the new Line 12 station Insurgentes Sur is right there, so you avoid the traffic of the stations found farther north.

The Cuicuilco pyramid and surrounding complex was built sometime between 2,000 to 2,500 years ago in successive stages, and is circular in shape. There was previously another small pyramid nearby, which was demolished to make way for an office building, an unfortunate loss of Mexico’s archeological heritage. Around 1,700 years ago the nearby Xitle volcano erupted, covering a large area with lava up to 10 meters deep in places. This eruption forced the people living in the area to leave and abandon their city and pyramids, but the lava flow also served to protect and conserve the pyramids until the modern times.

Surrounding the pyramid is a nice green area with lots of cactus and other native vegetation. It made for a nice walk with the kids to discover all the rocks and insects and plants. Enjoy the pictures!