Ultimate Guide to the Monte Alban Ruins

The Zapotec ruins of Monte Alban sit high atop a large hill, just outside of bustling Oaxaca City.  In a perfect defensive position, Monte Alban is one of Mexico’s most important ruins, as it was one of the first cities in Mesoamerica.  It was a major seat of power for over 1,000 years, from 500 B.C. to roughly 750 A.D., with many ties to Mexico’s other famous site: Teotihuacan.  Today, you can still witness many of the terraces & pyramids that were built here, & explore the region’s preeminent economic, political, social, religious, & cultural center.  We’ll discuss everything you need to know as a visitor in this “Ultimate Guide to the Monte Alban Ruins in Oaxaca!”

Standing on top of one of the many pyramids at historic Monte Alban. Its hilltop position gives you stunning 360 views of the entire Oaxaca City area.

How to Get to Monte Alban from Oaxaca

The quickest way to reach Monte Alban from Oaxaca City is by taxi, & it’s best to have the same driver pick you up (your hotel can likely arrange this).  You can also take a group shuttle with other tourists, at prearranged pick-up times.  Public bus is the least expensive ~ but my least favorite way to reach the ruins, as you still need to walk about 40 minutes uphill from the final bus stop.

Photos of Monte Alban

What makes Monte Alban special as a visitor, compared to so many other ruins, is that they’re NOT super crowded.  Particularly compared to Chichen Itza, which was busy by 8:30AM, Monte Alban felt very relaxed, because not only can you climb most of the pyramids ~ but you’re also able to capture all kinds of great photos with few people in them.  The first photo below gives a great idea of how many people to expect at Monte Alban: & you can see, it’s not exactly crowded.  The wide open spaces of the main plaza add to the feeling of openness, & there are restrooms in the far, diagonal corner from the entrance (HUGE bonus!!  Machu Picchu, for example, has no bathrooms AT ALL onsite ~ only outside the ruins).

When I first entered Monte Alban, this is the sight that greeted me: very few tourists, & a wide open, grand plaza, surrounded by pyramids.

Being able to climb most of the pyramids allows for great vantage points framed by lush foliage…

I love using a GoPro at archaeological sites (as in this shot), as it offers a more birds-eye perspective of these vast spaces.

Why is Monte Alban Significant?

Monte Alban is by far the most significant historical site in Oaxaca, as it represents a highly-evolved civilization that lasted for nearly 1,500 years.  Terraces, dams, canals, & pyramids were all carved literally out of the mountainside itself, & are not only evidence of masterful planning: but are important symbols of sacred topography.  Aside from the impressive pyramids which flank the site & the great plazas, you can also see the site’s famous ball court, along with important tombs like “Tomb #7” ~ which, when excavated, unearthed a number of important items, including a jade-covered skull which can be seen in Oaxaca’s Museo de las Culturas. 

Monte Alban was the second-largest ceremonial center in all of Mesoamerica (after Teotihuacan), & some say that its site was chosen because it’s an important “energy center.”  And much of Monte Alban still remains mysterious today: there are numerous hieroglyphs that have never been decoded, stone monuments called “Danzantes” depicting contorted figures that may be prisoners, but historians are still unsure of their exact significance.

Stone monuments called “Danzantes,” may be depictions of early prisoners at the site.

Incorporating the pyramid’s stairs into your shots allows for good contrast & many creative photo options.

Make sure to get shots on both ends of the plaza!

Grab some sangria & a bit of shade in the cute cafe inside Monte Alban’s small museum..

Ultimate Guide to the Monte Alban Ruins!

xoxo Noelia 

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