Monte Alban, Mexico

Situated atop an artificially-leveled ridge, which with an elevation of approximately 1,940 m above mean sea level rises about 400 m from the valley floor, in an easily defensible location.
Founded by the Zapotec at around 500 BC, Monte Albán's importance stems also from its role as the pre-eminent socio-political and economic centre for close to a thousand years.
Looking down from the south platform ...

Looking up at south platform ...

Looking from the north, the further most structure is the south platform ...

Sun dial on the west side of the site ...


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