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List of Mesoamerican pyramids facts for kids

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This is a list of Mesoamerican pyramids or ceremonial structures. In most cases they are not true pyramids. There are hundreds of these done in many different styles throughout Mexico and Central America. These were made by several pre-Columbian cultures including the Olmecs, Maya, Toltecs, and Aztecs. In most cases they were made by city states that created many structures in the same style. The style for each city state is usually different. These are usually made out of stone and mortar but some of the earliest may have been made out of clay.

Site Name of Pyramid Culture Base length (m) Height (m) Incli- nation Approximate Time of Construction Function Notes Image
Altun Ha

Belize

Maya 16 200 to 900 CE Altun Ha Belize.jpg
Cañada de la Virgen

Mexico

Otomi 15+ 540 to 1040 CE The Pyramids and surrounding complex were built to house priests, along with serving as a burial ground. These are the only Otomi pyramids we currently know of. Cañada de La Virgen Complex A 01.jpg
Caracol

Belize

Caana Maya 43 A triadic pyramid, Caana is the highest man-made structure in Belize Caracol-Temple.jpg
Caracol

Belize

Temple of the Wooden Lintel Maya
Lamanai Belize High Temple Maya 33 Pre-Classic Period Lamanai - High Temple.JPG
Lamanai

Belize

Jaguar Temple Maya 20 Pre-Classic Period Lamanai - Jaguar Temple.JPG
Lamanai

Belize

Mask Temple Maya 17 Early Classic Period Mask Temple Lamanai 02.JPG
Lubaantun

Belize

Maya 730 to 890 CE Lubaantun's structures are mostly built of large stone blocks with no mortar, using primarily black slate rather than limestone. Lubaantun 04.jpg
Tula

Mexico

Piramid B Toltec The pyramid is dedicated to Quetzalcoatl, and topped with Atlantean columns, carved like warriors.
Lubaantun

Belize

Maya 730 to 890 CE Lubaantun includes many small step pyramids in addition to its far larger one. Flickr - archer10 (Dennis) - Belize-0833.jpg
Nim Li Punit

Belize

Maya Tallest 12 400 to 800 CE Nim Li Punit has several small-step pyramids, but none that possessed the sheer mass of other examples. Flickr - archer10 (Dennis) - Belize-0869.jpg
Xunantunich

Belize

El Castillo Maya 40 600 to 900 CE Xunantunich Belize 1 19.jpg
San Andrés

El Salvador

the Bell of San Andrés Maya 600 to 900 CE This is a scale model of structure 5. There are several other smaller structures that may be similar to pyramids on the site. ES San Andres 05 2012 Estructura 5 La Campana 1538.JPG
Tazumal

El Salvador

Maya 250 to 900 CE Ruinas del Tazumal.JPG
Aguateca

Guatemala

Maya 6 760 to 830 CE This temple pyramid was left unfinished when the city was abandoned. Its purpose is still unknown. Aguateca-plaza.jpg
Dos Pilas

Guatemala

LD-49 Maya 20 after 629 CE This pyramid's main stairway (known as Hieroglyphic Stairway 2) contains at least eighteen hieroglyphic steps. However, some glyphs are undecipherable due to age.
Dos Pilas

Guatemala

Maya after 629 CE This temple pyramid was built by enlarging and terracing a natural hill some way from the site core, giving the impression of a single massive structure.
Kaminaljuyu

Guatemala

Maya 250 CE Kaminaljuyu contains some 200 platforms and pyramidal mounds, at least half of which were made before 250 CE. Some were used to hold temples. Kaminaljuyú, Guatemala..JPG
El Mirador

Guatemala

La Danta Maya 72 300 BCE to 100 CE La Danta pyramid temple has an estimated volume of 2,800,000 cubic meters, making it one of the largest pyramids in the world.
El Mirador

Guatemala

El Tigre Maya 55 300 BCE to 100 CE Flickr - ggallice - Cara, El Mirador.jpg
El Puente

Honduras

Structure 1 Maya 12 600 BCE- 900 CE Religious temple
Mixco Viejo

Guatemala

Maya 1100 to 1500 CE Mixco Viejo.jpg
Tikal

Guatemala

Maya 47 Grand Plaza - Temple I (3266805223).jpg
Copán

Honduras

Maya Copán has several overlapping step-pyramids. Stela M and the Hieroglyphic Stairway on the archeological site of Copán, a mayan city.jpg
Bonampak

Mexico

The Temple of the Murals Maya 580 to 800 CE Zona arqueologica Bonampak 01 ID ZA30 DBannasch.jpg
Calakmul

Mexico

The Great Pyramid Maya 55 Petén Campechano, Calakmul, Campeche (22173289436).jpg
Chichen Itza

Mexico

El Castillo Maya 55.3 30 Chichen Itza 3.jpg
Cholula

Mexico

The Great Pyramid of Cholula Aztec 450 sq. 66 300 BCE - 800 CE The largest pyramid and the largest manmade monument anywhere in the Americas. Gran Pirámide de Cholula, Puebla, México, 2013-10-12, DD 10.JPG
Coba

Mexico

The Nohoch Mul pyramid Maya 42 500 to 900 CE La pyramide Nohoch Mul (8453085740).jpg
Coba

Mexico

La Iglesia Maya 20 500 to 900 CE Pyramide du Grupo Coba dite l'église (8452064401).jpg
Coba

Mexico

Crossroads Temple Maya 500 to 900 CE Cobá - panoramio (1).jpg
Comalcalco

Mexico

Temple 1 Maya 20 600 CE to 900 CE The city's buildings were made from fired-clay bricks with mortar made from oyster shells, unique among Maya sites. Many are decorated with iconography and/or hieroglyphs. Comalcalco Templo 1.JPG
El Tajín

Mexico

Pyramid of the Niches Classic Veracruz 18 El Tajín Pyramid of the Niches.jpg
La Venta

Mexico

The Great Pyramid Olmec 33 394 ± 30 BCE This is one of the earliest pyramids known in Mesoamerica. It was made out of an estimated 100,000 cubic meters of earth fill. La Venta Pirámide cara norte.jpg
Mayapan

Mexico

Maya 15 Mayapan perspectiva 1.jpg
Moral-Reforma

Mexico

Conjunto 14 Maya 37 LaReforma1.JPG
Palenque

Mexico

Temple of the Cross Maya El Templo de la Cruz.jpg
Palenque

Mexico

Temple of the Inscriptions Maya >675 Bore the Classic Maya name B'olon Yej Te' Naah "House of the Nine Sharpened Spears". Tumba de pakal, Chiapas.JPG
Santa Cecilia Acatitlan

Mexico

Aztec In 1962, the architect and archaeologist Eduardo Pareyon Moreno reconstructed the pyramid's basement and the temple that crowns it. StaCeciliaAcatitlan.jpg
Tenayuca

Mexico

Aztec 62 by 50 This is the earliest example yet found of the typical Aztec double pyramid, which consists of joined pyramidal bases supporting two temples. Tenayuca.jpg
Tenochtitlan

Mexico

Templo Mayor Aztec 100 by 80 1390 to 1500 CE Tenochtitlan was destroyed by the Spanish. Recreations of this and other pyramids are based on historical text and archaeological ruins. ScaleModelTemploMayor.JPG
Tenochtitlan

Mexico

Aztec 1325 to 1521 CE Tenochtitlan, the Aztec capital city, was completely razed by the Spanish conquistadors led by Hernán Cortés. Recreations the city are based on historical text and archaeological ruins. This site once included at least half a dozen pyramids. TenochtitlanModel.JPG
Teotihuacan

Mexico

Pyramid of the Sun Teotihuacano 223.5 71.2 32.5 100 BCE There are also dozens of platforms 4 stories high lining the Avenue of the Dead at Teotihuacan. Each step in each story creates a stairway to the top in front of the platforms. Piramide del Sol 072006.JPG
Teotihuacan

Mexico

Pyramid of the Moon Teotihuacano 43 100 BCE Pyramid of the Moon, Teotihuacan - Flickr - GregTheBusker (1).jpg
El Tepozteco

Mexico

Aztec 1502 CE Piramidedeltepozteco.jpg
Tula, Hidalgo

Mexico

Toltec TulaSite115.JPG
Uxmal

Mexico

Pyramid of the Magician Maya 40 Pyramid Of The Magician (221839507).jpeg
Uxmal

Mexico

La Gran Piramide Maya La Gran Pyramide.jpg
Xochicalco

Mexico

Temple of the Feather Serpent 200 BCE to 900 CE Xochicalcotempleofinscriptions.jpg
Xochicalco

Mexico

200 BCE to 900 CE This is one of several other step-pyramid temples in addition to the Temple of the Feather Serpent Mexico xochicalco pyramids.JPG
Xochitecatl

Mexico

The Pyramid of Flowers 100 by 140 the Preclassic Period Paisaje pirámide.JPG
Xochitecatl

Mexico

The Spiral Building 700 BCE This is a circular stepped pyramid. The interior consists of volcanic ash. The building has no stairway to the top, it was climbed by following the spiral form of the building itself.
Yaxchilan

Mexico

Maya 600 to 900 CE This is one of the pyramids on the upper terrace of Yaxchilan Foto en la Zona Arqueológica de Yaxchilan 01.jpg
Yarumela

Honduras

Estructure 101 Lenca 20 1000 BCE to 250 CE Religious temple used for different ceremonies
Estructura 101 de Yarumela.jpg
Tikal

Guatemala

Tikal Temple IV Maya 88 by 65 70 741 AD The pyramid was built to mark the reign of the 27th king of the Tikal dynasty Temple IV at the Classic Period Maya ruins of Tikal, 8th century AD, Peten Department, Guatemala. Templo IV - panoramio.jpg
Tzintzuntzan

Mexico

5 yácata pyramids Purépecha Late post-classic period The pyramids are rounded and have a distinguishable T-like shape. 4thYacatatztztz.JPG

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Anexo:Pirámides de Mesoamérica para niños

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List of Mesoamerican pyramids Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.