🏟️🇲🇽 Monte Albán: Mexico’s Ancient Mountain Fortress 🏟️

📍 Location: Monte Albán, Oaxaca, Mexico (15 mins by car from Oaxaca City!) 🕰️ A 3,000-Year-Old Mystery: Perched on a hilltop, Monte Albán is a UNESCO gem and a key site of Mesoamerican history. Founded in 500 BCE by the Zapotecs, it later became a Mixtec burial ground, then fell to the Aztecs… until the Spanish arrived. 🗡️🌄 🏛️ Architecture Marvel: Spanning 4 km², the site centers on a massive plaza (320m x 220m!) flanked by pyramids, temples, and a ballcourt. Climb the sunken staircases—once lined with gods—to imagine rituals under Oaxaca’s starry skies. 🌌✨ 🎨 Tombs of Kings: Explore underground chambers filled with treasures! Tomb 104 dazzles with murals and pottery, while Tomb 7 (Mixtec-era) holds 500+ gold/silver/jade artifacts—earrings, rings, pendants… a time capsule of ancient craftsmanship. 💎👑 🌄 Legacy Lives On: Monte Albán’s grid layout inspired 16th-century Spanish colonial towns. Wander here, and you’re tracing Oaxaca’s DNA—from Zapotec pyramids to colonial cathedrals. 🧬🏙️ 💡 Pro Tips: ❌ No Drones Allowed! 🧴 Pack Sunscreen & Water: The sun here is fierce. 🚶 Wear Sturdy Shoes: Those stone steps are steep! #MonteAlbanMagic #OaxacaAdventures #AncientWonders 🌵🌟