Ringed by platforms and unique diagonal stairways, this plaza was the main approach to Cholula's pyramid. Three large stone slabs on its east, north and west sides are carved in the Veracruz interlocking scroll design. At its south end is an Aztec-style altar in a pit, dating from shortly before the Spanish conquest. On the mound’s west side is a reconstructed section of the latest pyramid, with two earlier exposed layers.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
0.11 MILES
Located two blocks to the southeast of Cholula’s central plaza, the Pirámide Tepanapa looks more like a hill than a pyramid and has a domed church on top…
0.14 MILES
The incredible Pirámide Tepanapa looks more like a hill than a pyramid, but it's still the town's big draw, and with miles of tunnels veining the inside…
6.86 MILES
Puebla’s impressive cathedral, which appeared on Mexico’s M$500 bill until 2019, occupies the entire block south of the zócalo. Its architecture is a…
18.48 MILES
Inside the Palacio de Gobierno there are color-rich murals of Tlaxcala's history by Desiderio Hernández Xochitiotzin. His style is vividly realistic and…
Museo Internacional del Barroco
4.45 MILES
This monumental white, architecturally spectacular museum is dedicated to the showy baroque movement – art, fashion, music and literature. The museum,…
6.87 MILES
This superb private museum, housed in two linked 16th- and 17th-century colonial buildings, is loaded with pre-Hispanic artifacts, yet the interior design…
18.45 MILES
This fantastic small contemporary-art museum houses an excellent cache of early Frida Kahlo paintings that were returned to the museum after several years…
Santuario de la Virgen de Ocotlán
18.66 MILES
One of Mexico’s most spectacular churches is an important pilgrimage site for those who believe the Virgin appeared here in 1541 – her image stands on the…
Nearby Cholula attractions
0.11 MILES
Located two blocks to the southeast of Cholula’s central plaza, the Pirámide Tepanapa looks more like a hill than a pyramid and has a domed church on top…
2. Santuario de Nuestra Señora de los Remedios
0.14 MILES
The Pirámide Tepanapa is topped by the brightly decorated Santuario de Nuestra Señora de los Remedios. It's a classic symbol of conquest, but possibly an…
0.14 MILES
The incredible Pirámide Tepanapa looks more like a hill than a pyramid, but it's still the town's big draw, and with miles of tunnels veining the inside…
0.26 MILES
This small, well-maintained museum, across the road from the Pirámide Tepanapa ticket office and down some steps, provides the best introduction to the…
5. Capilla de la Tercera Orden
0.43 MILES
In the middle of Cholula's huge zócalo is the 19th-century Capilla de la Tercera Orden. The church forms part of the Ex-Convento de San Gabriel.
0.46 MILES
The Templo de San Gabriel was founded in 1529 on the site of a pyramid and the ruins of a temple dedicated to Quetzalcóatl. The exterior is partially…
0.46 MILES
The Arabic-style Capilla Real has 49 domes and dates from 1540. The mosque-inspired design makes the yellow church unique to Mexico and creates a…
0.47 MILES
The Ex-Convento de San Gabriel (also known as Plaza de la Concordia), facing the east side of Cholula's huge zócalo, includes a tiny but interesting…