Monte Alban Archaeological Ruins
Oaxaca Mexico
Travel And Tour Photos And Pictures

George And Audrey DeLange

Monte Alban is built at the junction of three broad valleys, across from the Atoyac stream, lays a series of large hills. The largest of these hills is nearly 400 meters above sea level. It was on the top of this mountain, which the Zapotecs leveled off and built into a great ceremonial city in about the year 500 ad. This center once ruled the entire region and collected tribute from the surrounding cities. The city is now known as Monte Alban. Monte Alban, or "White Mountains" in Spanish, was formerly called Danibaan (Sacred Mountain). No visit to Oaxaca can be considered complete without visiting Monte Alban. Monte Alban was first occupied in about 500 B.C. and it was inhabited until about 850 A.D. when it bacame slowly abandoned. After it was abandoned it remained sacred to the Zapotecs and then later on to the Mixtecs who setttled in the area after the Zapotecs declined in power. The entire city of Monte Alban is laid out on a NS and EW Alignment except for Building J which is an arrow shaped structure probably laid out with astronomical alignments. The path that most visitors follow takes you through the main gate near the Visitors Center then along the Northeast side of the ruins to the NE corner of the site along the eastern back of Building A and the eastern back of the North Platform which starts your tour at the Ball Court. We have written the word ENTER on the site map where most people actually enter the ruins. However, some people enter by going up to the top of the North Platform and then down into the ruins. INAH has placed many restrictions upon where you can walk at Monte Alban since our last trip in December of 1982 and unfortunately you can not get the full view of many of the structures that we had in 1982. Our last page will show many of those views for your enjoyment. A word about the restrictions. I don't like it, but if I were the director of INAH, I would do the same thing. First, the stones are of soft material and it is easily damaged by acid rain. Second, the tourists just love these sites to death and they need the protection. So, we just live with it, but I do miss the old days when the real artifacts were on the sites and you could walk anywhere you wanted to walk. This Ruins Has Access To Those With Wheelchairs!