Old Stones, New Basilica – March 2021
Our Mexico City guide, Carlos, took us to the ancient city of Teotihuacan (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) and Basilica de Guadalupe on a sunny spring day.
The ancient city, which covered almost 20 square kilometers, began around 400 BC and grew to a powerful and wealthy city in the region by 400 AD. Aztecs discovered the abandoned city in the 1400s and called it Teotihuacan, meaning “the place where the gods were created.” Since that time, archeologists have excavated and studied more of the city’s temples, thousands of apartment complexes, residences of nobles and priests, plazas, and market places. We explored just a small portion of the city and did not see any representations of the city’s most important deity, the Great Goddess of Teotihuacan, depicted as a spider.
Pyramid of the Moon
Pyramid of the Moon and smaller side temples 
The temple stands 43 meters tall.
Pyramid of the Sun
Front side of Pyramid of the Sun
Height: 66 meters Base: 220 by 230 meters
Third largest pyramid in the world
View of left front corner 
Weed removal, a never-ending task on the city’s largest structure.
Other city features
Original layers of Teotihuacanwall construction: stone, 4 inches of cement, top layer of plaster that was painted red.
The tiny, dark stones between the larger stones were added by archeologists to indicate which areas have been analyzed and sometimes refurbished.
Puma mural, one of just a few surviving wall paintings, seen from the Avenue of the Dead 
The 40 meter-wide Avenue of the Dead begins at the Pyramid of the Moon and continues for over 2 kilometers.
Basilica de Guadalupe, the last stop of our day with Carlos, is the second most visited Catholic site in the world. (The Vatican is #1.) The large complex consists of more than four churches, a convent, museums, gardens, plazas, and statues.
Old basilica (left) and Convent of Capuchinas (right)
Evidence of sinking can be seen more easily on the side of the building.
Carillon in central plaza 
Templo del Pocito built in 1787
to commemorate miraculous spring where Virgin de Guadalupe stood
San Junipero Serra 
Pope John Paul II
The modern-style, round basilica holds more worshipers than the original structure and no pillars block the view of the important image of the Virgin Mary. However, many visitors still prefer the traditional design of the original basilica constructed in the 1700s. The blue, sail-like roof of the contemporary basilica is easily spotted on Tepeyac Hill.
Built in the 1970s 
Exterior view of stained glass windows 
Baptistery entrance
The most important icon at Basilica de Guadalupe is a man’s cloak imprinted with the image of the Virgin Mary. Juan Diego, Christian convert living in the early 16th century, claimed that the Virgin Mary appeared before him on the same hillside as he walked to mass. She told him to pick nearby roses and take them to the Franciscan monk. And when he unrolled his flower-filled cloak in front of the monk, an image of the virgin was seen on the cloth, proof for the monk that Diego had seen the Virgin Mary. Diego’s glass-encased cloak now hangs in the front of the new basilica.
Courtyard sculpture of Juan Diego showing roses and image to bishop 
Wooden image of Juan Diego with roses, inside new basilica 
Architects designed a special walkway behind and below the main altar so the 20 million annual visitors could view the icon more closely and not disrupt worship services.
Additional interior details of the new basilica
Honeycomb-like chandeliers 
Chandelier on side aisle 
View from main entrance