Temple of the Feathered Serpent
Reliefs blending several styles.
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Xochicalco is an archaeological site on a levelled hilltop in western Morelos state, on the UNESCO World Heritage list. Its Nahuatl name may be translated as in the house of flowers. It flourished after the fall of Teotihuacan as a fortified centre of trade and religion on key trade routes. The site was first occupied by 200 BC but did not become a city until 700 to 900 AD, when nearly all of what stands today was built. It may have held up to 20,000 people. Around 900 it was burned and destroyed. José Antonio Alzate described it in 1777, Humboldt published an account in 1810, and major excavations ran from the 1940s to the 1980s. The highlight is the Temple of the Feathered Serpent, with smooth reliefs that blend Teotihuacan and Maya styles and show towns that paid tribute. There are also step pyramids, palaces, three ballcourts and a row of circular altars. The observatory is a carved cave with an 8.7-metre chimney. The sun enters it from 30 April to 15 August, and its image falls on the floor at the zenith passage. The site is 17 km in a straight line south-west of Cuernavaca and about 122 km by road from Mexico City. Start with the museum at the entrance, which holds the best finds. The observatory is said to open only after noon, so ask about it. The hill is exposed and steep, so bring a hat, water and good shoes.
Reliefs blending several styles.
A cave with a chimney for the sun.
Three courts on the hill.
Miacatlán municipality, western Morelos state
From 30 April to 15 August, directly overhead around 14 to 15 May and 28 to 29 July.
It is about 122 km by road, often combined with Cuernavaca in a day.