At its heyday, the Mexican city of Teotihuacan supported a population of 125,000 - 200,000 people.
Many of the buildings were constructed around the Street of the Dead,
which is still guarded by the Pyramid of the Moon (foreground) and the Pyramid of the Sun (background).
At the north end of the Street of the Dead stands the Pyramid of the Moon,
which rises to 140 feet with a base of 426 by 511 feet.
On the east side of the Street of the Dead stands the Pyramid of the Sun,
which rises to 216 feet with a base of 720 by 760 feet.
It was constructed from about 1,000,000 cubic yards of material.
The stairway of the Pyramid of the Sun is adorned with images of the feathered snake Quetzalcoatl.
El Castillo ("The Castle") rises 79 feet above the Main Plaza of the ancient Maya city of Chichen Itza in Mexico.
Each of the four sides of El Castillo has 91 stairs.
Including the step on the top platform, the total number of steps is 365 -- a central number in the Mayan calendar.
Part of the larger Madrid Codex, this illustrated text describes Mayan calendrical, astrological and religious practices.
With its five pyramidal temples, Tikal was a ceremonial center of Maya civilization between AD 600 and 800.
It is located in northeastern Guatemala.
The Temple of the Jaguar crowns Pyramid I at Tikal.
The structure rises 148 feet above ground.
At 138 feet high, Pyramid II is topped by the Temple of the Masks.
In what is now Mexico, the ancient Maya city of Palenque flourished during the Late Classic Period.
Very well preserved, the Temple of the Inscriptions is named for hieroglyphics found inside.
Like Palenque, the Maya city of Uxmal (located on the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico) thrived during the late Classic Period.
The Pyramid of the Magician, known for its rounded sides, rises 91 feet above the ancient city of Uxmal.