Cuicuilco was one of the most ancient and prosperous cities in the Valley of Mexico. It was destroyed following the eruption of the Xitle volcano in the third century AD.
I first visited the Cuicuilco Archaeological Site back in 2022. I returned for a second visit in August 2026.
The Zona Arqueológica Cuicuilco in the Tlalpan Municipality of Mexico City is one of five archaeological sites in Mexico City (and one of 194 archaeological sites and one paleontological site across Mexico as a whole), operated by the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) that are open to the public. The other four are Templo Mayor, Mixcoac, Tlatelolco and Cerro de la Estrella, all of which I have visited.
Cuicuilco is a Nahuatl word meaning “place where songs and dances are performed”. It was one of the first large-scale civic-religious centres of the Mexican Highlands.
Cuicuilco was inhabited for more than 1000 years, from 800 BC to AD 250, until it was destroyed and abandoned following the eruption of the nearby Xitle volcano.
You can follow the trail around the site, enjoying the flora and fauna (many lizards – watch for snakes in the long grass).
The Gran Basamento – Circular Pyramid
The Gran Basamento, a circular pyramid 110 metres in diameter and 26 metres high, dominates the site.
There might not be much to see, but the historical importance is impressive and should not be ignored.
It was constructed using uncarved volcanic stones and clay mortar without lime around 800 to 600 BC, making it one of the earliest monumental structures in the Valley of Mexico.
It is unique in that the construction is circular as opposed to the square and rectangular construction found in all major archaeological sites. The flat top area was used for ceremonial gatherings.
This photo is from my first visit back in 2022:
Photos from August 2026, slightly overgrown now:
Museo de Sitio de Cuicuilco
This small museum, which was closed when I first visited due to the pandemic, displays objects discovered during archaeological excavations in the area, one of the oldest archaeological sites in the Valley of Mexico.
The museum was inaugurated in 1970 to show different cultural aspects of its inhabitants’ lives, including pottery and other tools.
Xiriki de Cuicuilco
A Xiriki is a sacred family shrine or small domestic temple used by the Wixárika (Huichol) people to honour ancestors and deities.
Practical Information: Getting There & Away, Opening Hours and Tickets
The Cuicuilco Archaeological Zone is located in the southern part of Mexico City.
It’s quite a way out of town, but you can still get there using public transport. Take the MetroBus Line 1 to Villa Olímpica.
I pinpointed the entrance on the map below, less than 300 m from the bus stop:
Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 9 am to 5 pm (closed Mondays)
How about those skulls?
Still crazy to think of places like this being wiped out by a volcano. Nuts.