Cholula Pyramid

Cholulan pyramidi

We are all familiar with the pyramids of Egypt. However, a vast number of pyramids have been built throughout human history, forming a belt around the globe.

Yet the largest of them all — the one referred to in the title — has never stood in the spotlight among the famous examples. Its base measures an astonishing 450 by 450 metres, and its height reaches 66 metres. With a total volume of 4.45 million cubic metres, it surpasses the Great Pyramid of Egypt by roughly one third. In terms of mass and scale, it is the largest man‑made monument ever constructed.

Peaceful Indigenous communities built the monumental structure shown in the image over the course of many generations. The ancient city of Cholula in Mexico was once a thriving centre of around 100,000 inhabitants, and tradition holds that it contained 365 temples — one for each day of the year.

When the Spanish arrived in Cholula in 1519, the city underwent a sudden and violent upheaval. Part of the population was killed, temples were looted, and the city was set ablaze. In the aftermath of the conquest, a Catholic church was constructed on top of the monument, where it still stands today. Its presence atop the pyramid‑shaped structure symbolises a new cultural layer imposed upon the old.

The pyramid itself was built in several stages, and over time it has become partially buried beneath layers of soil and the deposits left by volcanic eruptions. This is why the 150‑metre scale shown in the lower right corner of the image appears large in comparison with the visible portion of the structure. The original purpose of the monument remains uncertain.

Excavations indicate that the Pyramid of Cholula once stood at a height of around 66 metres. Over the centuries the structure has been affected by earthquakes, and the church built on its summit has also suffered damage from these tremors. This raises an important question: has the pyramid itself subsided, or are the damages confined mainly to the surface structures?

If the core of the pyramid has not significantly subsided, it is reasonable to consider whether a structure intended for observing the night sky might once have stood at its summit. Such constructions would not have been unfamiliar to ancient cultures, many of which monitored celestial movements to guide calendars, ceremonies and agricultural cycles.

The length of the pyramid’s base is an estimate, yet the commonly cited rounded figure of 450 metres is likely close to the true measurement. This places the monument among the largest pyramid‑like structures known anywhere in the world — both in its physical scale and in its cultural and historical significance.

450 m / 6,28 = 71,65 m

 450 m / (6,28 x 1,03) = 69,6 m

A structure approximately 3 to 5 metres high must once have stood at the summit of the pyramid, later dismantled to make way for the church. With such an upper section in place, the original builders could have defined a full angle in radians as part of their architectural system. In that case, we arrive very close to the ratio associated with the golden section.

4 x 1,6(18) = 6,4

 4 x 1,57 = 6,28

1,25 x 1,25 = 1,57