Pirami-Day!

Hello everyone! I hope you're doing well and enjoying your situations.

Right near my house, there is a structure that should be more famous than it is, because it is not only the largest pyramid the world, but the largest monument as well. The Great Pyramid of Cholula! Dimensions are approximately 450 x 450 meters of the square base with a height of 66 meters, rather large. In terms of the volume, it is even more impressive, measured at 4.45 million cubic meters, around 2.5 the size of the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt.

Aside from it's impressive dimensions, the history of the structure is worth reading as well. Started in the 2nd century BC, the construction continued until around 1200 AD, being added to every time that a new leader came into power. The structure of the pyramid was made so that each new layer covered the old one completely, imagine those Russian dolls that hide each other.

So, for reasons unknown, the Cholultecas abandoned the site around 1300. As we all know, those crazy Spaniards started arriving around 1600, and on their way to Tenochtitlan, they stopped in the nearby city of Tlaxcala to recruit natives that wanted to help them in their conquest. The Tlaxcaltecas and Cholultecas were enemies, and also two of the few states not controlled by the Aztecs. So, seeing that they had a huge ally in Cortés, asked him to do them a favor by demolishing Cholula, and in return they would join him. Something like that. Cortes arrived in Cholula and engaged them in the infamous Matanza de Cholula. The pyramid (although still believed to be a hill) was used during this time for keeping hostages.

After most of the dust had settled and after many historical events that I am neither aware of or capable of telling, the Spanish started building the beautiful church, Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de los Remedios (Our Lady of Remedies) around 1574. The Spanish had a tradition of sort of "blocking" Mesoamerican monuments and sacred sites with churches, erasure in a spiritual and physical form.

So, the entire idea of this post was to let you guys know the cool stuff that happens. About 15 people came to the event, just to see each other, explore the wonders that sometimes turn into normal, and spend time together. We walked up the pyramid to the church, wandered around and marveled, explored, took in the magnificent view from the top (I hope someday to accompany this with pictures), and in general, enjoyed ourselves. Hope you like it!