Monte Alban

Why Monte Alban is special
Mount Alban was the capital of the powerful Zapotec civilization from around 500 BC to 800 AD.

Monte Alban tips & insights
Setting
Monte Alban majestically sits on an artificially flattened mountain top overlooking the valleys of Oaxaca in central Mexico.

The center of Monte Alban is a vast plaza ringed with temples, royal tombs and other ancient structures.

Peak period
The Monte Alban glory days covered two centuries, 600 to 800 AD. It was quite powerful and had a metropolitan population of at least 25,000.

Decline
The Zapotec civilization then started a rapid decline and eventually Monte Alban was abandoned. The Mextics took over and used the summit primarily as a burial ground.

View
The best panoramic photo vantage point for the ruins is on the raised area named the Southern Platform.

Museum
The site has a worthy small museum with local artifacts. They include the so-called Dancer stone slabs carved in low relief with human figures in unconventional poses.

Name
The Spanish gave Monte Alban ("White Mountain") its name. It had several pre-Columbian names, including one that translates as "Sacred Mountain".

What to wear
You will likely be doing a lot of stair climbing, so wear comfortable, good-grip shoes. Bring a hat - shade trees are scarce. To avoid the midday sun, explore the site early or late in the day.

Nearest major city
Monte Alban is half-hour by car from the city of Oaxaca.