Mexico produced five major civilizations throughout its history, starting with the “mother culture” Olmec civilization (of which we have little archeological evidence, let alone ruins), and the later Maya, Teotihuacan, Toltec and Aztec Empires.

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Tulum
Tulum is a walled complex that served as a port for the ancient city of Coba. Having access to trade routes on the land and sea, it became an important hub for the Maya civilization, especially for jade and obsidian. Today, it is popular with tourists who want to spend a daytrip away from Cancún.

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Teotihuacán
The “City of Gods” is one of the biggest and architecturally significant sites of pre-Columbian history in Mexico. Teotihuacán, at its peak sometime in the early 1st millennium, had a population of 125,000, which made it the sixth-largest city of the world at the time.

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Chichen Itza
As one of the most renowned archaeological sites of Mexico, Chichen Itza holds the distinct honor of being one of UNESCO’s “New Seven Wonders of the World.” The complex is distinct in its mixture of different architectural styles, leading some to believe the great city had a diverse population and was of economic and cultural importance.

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Tula
The Toltecs rose after the fall of Teotihuacán and the rise of Tenochtitlan (capital of the Aztecs), so they’re more mysterious compared to their sibling civilizations due to the lack of research. Nonetheless, the ruins they left behind are awe-inspiring, namely Tula’s columns carved with the likeness of Toltec warriors.
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