Monte Alban in Mexico

For those who want to see the ancient beauty of Mexico before the Spanish colonized the country, the most ideal place to visit is the Monte Alban which is an archeological ruin that has been declared as a UNESCO World Heritage Site because of its importance to the history of Mexico.

While Mexico’s rich culture and tradition has been influenced by its former ruler Spain, the country has still managed to maintain its esoteric and mystifying beauty with its archeological sites and ruins of the world’s earliest civilizations.

One of the most popular archeological ruins in Mexico is Monte Alban, which is located in the state of Oaxaca and has been declared as a UNESCO World Heritage Site due to its importance in the pre-colonial history of Latin America.

According to archeologists, this ancient structure, which is built on mountain top, was built around 500 BC by the country’s early inhabitants called Zapotec who are also known as the “cloud people”.

For centuries, Zapotec expanded the city as their civilization started to grow; however, during 1200 AD, they were forced to abandon the city to avoid further bloodshed with Mixtec. With this encroachment, the occupiers have built minor structures of their own.

Traveller’s Guide in Monte Alban

Monte Alban is just located 5 miles from Oaxaca city; tourists can go to the site by riding a taxi or bus.

Today, the ancient ruin is open to the public from Monday to Sunday and requires an entrance fee of 51 pesos. However, tourists who will bring video cameras and recording devices may be asked to pay for additional fees.

Visitors are allowed to climb to some structures, but ideally they should be accompanied by a local tour guide to avoid being lost in the labyrinth of the ruins.

Meanwhile, the temperature in the area is humid and warm especially between the month of November and April which means that visitors should bring a sun block and a bottle of water. However, people should avoid scheduling their visit here during the month of September when it is almost raining everyday.

Within the area also lies a modern museum that shows an extensive collection of relics which have been excavated from the site during the 20th century. The museum also has a small bookstore and a quaint cafeteria.

There is no hotel or inn near the ancient ruins, which means that tourists should find a place to stay in the nearby city of Oaxaca in case that they want to include Monte Alban as part of their excursion.

 

 

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