The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1910-05-28

, is an old place T. at was OF con-
III siderable Importance not only
W before the Spanish conquest,
#but long before the Aztecs, 1t was
holy city, a city Of temples and
sshrines, and even at the time of Cor
stez it contained hundreds of sanctu-
aries that were the object of pilgrim
ages from all over the country. The
Ilain all around Cholula was dotted
with pyramids of sacred character and
varying size, all Of which were domi-
mated by the great temple of Quer-
lalcoatl, the god of the air. that stood
On the summit of the artificial mound
called today the pyramid Of Cholula.
This pyramid, one Of the sights of
lleXico, has at present the appearance
ci a natural hill of regular form. 1t
Is thiCkly grown with bushes and trees
.1nd its top is reached by rough
winding road. Nowhere is a trace of
Its artificial origin, and on the spot
Where centuries ago stood the colossal
statue of Quetzalcoatl and where once
burned he eternal fires in honor Of
the god now rises the Christian church
pf Nuestra Sonora de los Remedies.
The pyramid of Cholula has height
OF about 175 feet and, like the pyra-
nids of Egypt, its sides face the four
cardinal points. But unlike the Egyp-
Nan monuments, 1t was originally built
y terraces and could be easily ascend
% by stairways leading to the sanctu-
ary which formed the apex. While
Not as lofty as Cheops by half, it had
base lines of double it's length and
pok up nearly twenty acres of
sround. The date of its building is
Unknown, but when the Spaniards
came the Aztec legend ascribed their
erection to race of giants sprung
nom the survivors of a deluge.
Standing on either side of the broad
Ierrace which surrounds the present
DAY church one has a magnificent
View over the fertile valley and the
surrounding mountains. Within TWEEN.
" miles, but apparently close enough
% be reached by short walk, rise
ne snoW-capped peaks Of Popocatepetl
mo lStaccihuau, On the opposite side
e mysterious Malintzi and on clear
Gays even the peak of Orizaba may be
dscerned in the hazy distance. Closer
Uy, only a quarter of mile to the
southwest, rises the Cerro de Acozac,
small mound of 80 feet, which hides
mother ancient monument in the
Lape OF an oblong cube with an apex.
Us sides are almost vertical and it can
ascended only by means of a lad
fr About 120 yards to the west of
Choula is the Cerro de la Cruz, which
Nldently takes its name from the
Uadition that it was there that Cortez
0aused the first mass to be read after
Us landing in Mexico. The Cerro de
Cruz is somewhat lower than AGO.
hc, but its base lines are considerably
Dhger, measuring over 1900 feet in
circumference. Both cerros are built
ADOBE brick, as are the numerous
aller ones that abound in the neigh
borhood.
While visit to the pyramid of Cho-
mad, incidentally, to the small
~ OF the same name, Is worth the
her's while it does not compare
interest to the visit of the pyramids
Teotihuacan 35 miles from Mexico
Nty There the national government
uncovered the larger of two great
ounds, known as the Pyramids of
sun and Moon, by removing fro-a
SIDES all plant growth and the
layer Of soil and conducting an
theological research on a scientific
sis, like the excavations OF Pompei.
Herculaneum. So far nothing has
4e to light that would serve to dis
ne mystery surrounding these an
monuments. OF their history
origin nothing is known. There
no record Of them existing either