Great Temple of Tenochtitlan - Essay Example

Great Temple of Tenochtitlan Great Temple of Tenochtitlan was considered to be a magnificent and glorious example of Aztec culture. Believes, traditions and customs of these people were reflected in this incredible piece of architecture. That was remained to be an ethnic group of people that had been concentrated on the territory of modern Mexico (Aguilar-Moreno, 27). Aztecs constructed temples in order to give an honor to their gods and to pray for searching a balance in their inner world (Aztec-History, n.p.). Such temples had been called Teocalli that meant God houses, and functioned as the places of religious culture in the field of Aztec culture (Aztec-History, n.p.). The Great Temple that was also known as Templo Mayor of Tenochtitlan was “one of the finest testaments of Aztec monumental architecture and power” (Aguliar-Moreno, 230). It was admitted that the temple’s architectural peculiarities together with organization, location and art value demonstrated “the social, religious, and geographical center of the Aztec universe” (Aguliar-Moreno, 230). The temple was completed in 1497 and represented the double pyramid construction (Aztec-History, n.p.). This building represented a reflection of all power and greatness of Aztec Empire and culture. The Great Temple impartially regarded as the admirable example of architecture concerning that period and present days. This construction embodied the greatness of the Aztec society, and straightforwardly demonstrated their religion, culture and traditions. It was relevant to admit that the significance of Templo Mayor of Tenochtitlan was clearly predetermined by its location. The matter was that this building had been situated in the center of the city Tenochtitlan (King, n.p.). This city was considered to be the capital of the Aztec Empire (King, n.p.). To such extent, the location of the Great Temple demonstrates its value for the entire empire. That was the place of all most important “ritual and ceremonial activities in Aztec life” (King, n.p.). It was important to admit that according to Aztec believes the location for Great Temple was chosen because of the intersection of celestial and sub-terrestrial levels with terrestrial one (Aguliar-Moreno, 230). The matter was that Aztec people desired to build the temple in the crossing of vertical and horizontal dimensions of the universe (Aguliar-Moreno, 230). It was suggested that celestial level consisted of 13 heavens and that was the place where different gods lived and celestial bodies existed (Aguliar-Moreno, 230). Sub-terrestrial realm constructed of nine levels “that the deceased must pass through to get to the underworld” (Aguliar-Moreno, 230). The last but not the least was the terrestrial level that included four world dimensions (Aguliar-Moreno, 230). The point of building the Great Temple lied in the area of the idea of conceptual point to build the temple on the crossing of vertical and horizontal levels (Aguliar-Moreno, 230). Aztec people had found the center of the capital city as the most appropriate place for the temple. It was essential to add that Templo Mayor of Tenochtitlan was constructed in a city that was surrounded by water. The home of Aztec was called Cemanahuac and metaphorically all shores and seas could be called like this for Aztec people (Aguliar-Moreno, 230). Moreover, those people believed that god Huitzilopochtli showed them the way to their homeland (Aguliar-Moreno, 230). To such extent, Aztecs considered the territory of modern Mexico as their native land. They were sure that they were concentrated at the center of the universe and claimed that Aztec people were the chosen one (Aguliar-Moreno, 230). Such legends also manifested the magnificence and greatness of this building. That was remained to be a building of about ninety feet high consisting of two magnificent “stepped pyramids rising side by side on a huge platform” (King, n.p.). The entire construction was extremely huge and majestic that had made this temple extremely great. It was admitted that Templo Mayor of Tenochtitlan “dominated both the Sacred Precinct and the entire city” (King, n.p.). Such noble construction could impress every person in the entire world. The essential fact that the Great Temple followed the traditions of Mesoamerican pyramids over time (Aguliar-Moreno, Aztec Architecture, 22). The matter was that this construction was “rebuilt in enveloping layers” (Aguliar-Moreno, Aztec Architecture, 22). The growth of the temple was progressed with the patronage of Motecuhzoma Ihuilcamina and his son Axayacatl (Aguliar-Moreno, Aztec Architecture, 22). Also, it was admitted that the temple was organized according to the image of man-made mountain and had its deep symbolic meaning (Aguliar-Moreno, Aztec Architecture, 22). In addition, the pyramid involved the images of ritual and religious rites that were reenacted in the walls of the temple (Aguliar-Moreno, Aztec Architecture, 22). It was important to admit that the Great Temple was constructed and enlarged in relatively short terms “seven times completely and four times partially” (Aguliar-Moreno, 232). Templo Mayor of Tenochtitlan was built of “stone and covered with stucco and polychrome paint” (Aztec-History, n.p.). It was necessary to claim that “each subsequent superimposition” was more and more majestic and grandiose (Aguliar-Moreno, 232). That was happened because of the improving construction that revealed the power and greatness of the Empire. The big relevance in the dimension of this temple had its symbolic meaning. Except the idea of “axis mundi” where the three worlds were intersected the Great Temple included other symbolic meaning (Guggenheim, n.p.). It was admitted that each of the four cardinal directions “radiated out from the Templo Mayor and was associated with a deity, a bird, a color, and a glyph” (Guggenheim, n.p.). Moreover, the dual temple rose was constructed for the sake to give an honor for two gods. The matter was that the southern half of the building was dedicated to Huitzilopochtli (Guggenheim, n.p.). He was solar and war god, also Huitzilopochtli was viewed as the god in underworld (Guggenheim, n.p.). At the same time, the northern half of the temple was dedicated to Tlaloc (Guggenheim, n.p.). That was the god of rain, water, and the earth’s fertility, also he was considered to be the lord of heaven (Guggenheim, n.p.). In addition, it was believed that Tlaloc and Huitzilopochtli embodied the natural and social universe of the Aztec empire (Guggenheim, n.p.). It was admitted that the temple was partially destroyed in the period of conquests; still, since the early 1980s the group of archeologist found earlier layers of the Great Temple (Atwood, n.p.). It is claimed that one of the first artifacts they excavated was “a monumental stone disk dating from an early phase of the temple’s construction” that was dated around 1400 (Atwood, n.p.). Today people were willing to see the greatest example of ancient culture in Mexico and enjoy its magnificence and greatness. Unfortunately, there were only leavings of the Great Temple as the construction did not survive fully. Still, it was enough to feel the ancient culture of Aztec people and understand their great power of belief. Taking all facts under consideration, it was relevant to mention that the Great Temple of Tenochtitlan was remained to be a unique and magnificent example of architecture. That was considered to be a building that had reflected the power and greatness of Aztec Empire. Cultural traditions of this ethnic group, religious beliefs and national peculiarities were included to the construction of Templo Mayor of Tenochtitlan. Moreover, this building developed a huge symbolic meaning. That was more than just a temple for Aztecs as they considered this place as the center of universe. Also, the Great Temple was dedicated to the two central gods according to Aztecs religion. Reference List: Aguliar-Moreno, Manuel. “AZTEC ARCHITECTURE”. Part 1. Web. April 24, 2015. http://www.famsi.org/research/aguilar/Aztec_Architecture_Part1.pdf Aguliar-Moreno, Manuel. “Handbook to Life in the Aztec World”. USA: Oxford University Press, 2006. Print. Atwood, Roger. “Templo Mayor”. Archaeology Magazine, June 09, 2014. Web. April 24, 2015. http://archaeology.org/issues/138-1407/features/2206-under-mexico-city-templo-mayor “Aztec Temples”. Aztec-History, 2006. Web. April 24, 2015. http://www.aztec-history.com/aztec-temples.html Guggenheim, Solomon R. “MEXICO-TENOCHTITLAN, AXIS MUNDI OF THE UNIVERSE”. The Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation, 2015. Web. April 24, 2015. http://www.guggenheim.org/new-york/education/school-educator-programs/teacher-resources/arts-curriculum-online?view=item&catid=720&id=26 King, Heidi. “Tenochtitlan: Templo Mayor”. In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000. Web. April 24, 2015.http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/teno_2/hd_teno_2.htm Read More