22nd February 2019
La Cañada de la Virgen
We drove out to see the Pyramids Canada de la Virgen while we were staying in San Miguel de Allende.
You take a shuttle bus from the visitors’ center which drops you off at the bottom of the hill outside the Pyramids. You then have to walk up the hill and through the gate. The reason for this is that in 1999, the 18,000-acre ex-hacienda surrounding the pyramid was bought by a German woman so the pyramind sits on public land inside her private land, apparently because of this the place is never really crowded.
We shared our tour with another family, fortunately for us the father was bilingual and could translate the Spanish guide for us.
So from what I understood was that the area was once surrounded by forest, at the time when the climate was much wetter and cooler.
The people who settled here, in 540 A.D. found water, fertile black soil, building materials etc. Until the drought of 1050 A.D, when a sudden climate shift caused them to move out.
The main pyramid complex at Cañada de la Virgen is referred to as the cosmic clock. The moon is said to move up the stairs of the pyramid during its cycle. It rises and falls perfectly in pyramid notches at key times in the lunar calendar and during solstice periods, some of the planets are lined up as well.
Like other Meso-American pyramids, all this was built without any wheels or beasts of burden, and depending on who you ask, by Toltecs, Chichimec, Otomi, or some combination of these and other tribes, but not by the Mayan nor Aztec tribes.
The Pyramids were first reported to the government by a cowboy in 1985, before that it was thought to be just a mound of dirt. After a period of excavation the site was opened to the public in 2011. It has been beautifully done, it is a really lovely walk past the little lake through the gardens, displaying artifacts found at the site and then onto the Pyramids. You are allowed to climb to the top of the main Pyramid, check out the view and the remaining part of a mural.
Great shots and how strange on the longest night……bit of info here required…..and tell Johanns to remember the teefs…..love Granny and MIL