The Citadel

Author: http://www.flickr.com/photos/omaromar/3715203881/

It's one of the most remarkable complexes in Teotihuacan, not just 'cause it's monumental dimensions (400 square meters/1,310 square feet), or its flawless architecture, but for it's location in center of the city (Teotihuacan was huge, the actual site is just the "downtown"), this distinguished position has been taken as a sign of it's importance in the ancient city activities, some archaeologist believe that it was the resindece of monarchs. The citadel, it's composed by two important buildings, The Temple of Quetzalcoatl, the plaza and two housing complexes.

a) The temple of the feathered serpent

It's more accurate to call the structure "The temple of the feathered serpent", 'cause we ignore the original name and purpose of the edifice, even if it is dedicated to a specific god or it is a residence or other thing. Calling the building "The temple of Quetzalcoatl", it's erroneous 'cause it is the name of a posterior Aztec divinity.

When this temple was found, it was covered with a more simplistic pyramid, for the archaelogist this was confusing, Why the rulers want to cover such a fantastic estructure?.... well, some experts thing that it was built in a peaceful time (around 150 A.D.), and it was an ornamental building designed for the ruler ceremonies, and later (350 A.D.), the things were changing in the city, the monarchs needed a more militaristic construction, and the original was covered (just a theory).

Neverthless, the original building it's marvelous, it has a profuse adorning in all it's sides, composed by feathered serpents representations in the talud (an inwards-sloping external side of a structure) and tablero (a surmounted rectangular panel), in all the visible platforms. The serpents appear to be in an acuatic environment as it indicated by all the shells and conches that enclose the snake relief.

Those found on the boards topped with large heads and worn on the body a headdress shaped reptilian head. Recent interpretations suggest that the building was related to the creation of time and the calendar, and the feathered serpent as the patron of the city rulers.

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