Overlooking the Valley of Ocosingo in the state of Chiapas is one of Mesoamerica’s largest and most unique structures. The Toniná Pyramid consists of seven tiers, many of which are home to temples, palaces and monuments. As such, it shouldn’t just be considered a large pyramid, but an entire pyramid city.

The pyramid rises up to 75 m high, making it about as high as Teotihuacán’s Pyramid of the Sun – tying it for the tallest pyramid in Mexico and the third-highest in the world (the Great Pyramid of Giza, for reference, is 147 m high).

Not everyone counts this as a pyramid, however. Many archaeologists refer to it as an ‘Acropolis,’ which is why Toniná is often absent from lists of the world’s highest pyramids. But in my opinion, Toniná does indeed qualify as a pyramid, albeit a very unusual one.

Despite its grandeur, Toniná is unknown to most visitors to Mexico. And getting there can be a bit tricky nowadays, as the area falls within Zapatista territory. Nevertheless, Toniná can still be accessed as a day trip from Palenque, which you can learn more about below.

While the general area was populated since at least 300 AD, Toniná hit its peak between 600 and 900. And in ancient times, Toniná was known for being a war-like and ruthless city.

Based on hieroglyphic inscriptions, we know that Toniná waged war against Palenque in 711, capturing its king, Kan-Hok-Xul II, son of Pakal the Great and younger brother of Kan Balahm. They built the Temple of War at the top of the pyramid in celebration, while a relief depicts the capture.

Toniná continued to thrive in the 9th century as many nearby cities began their decline. An influential king named Zots Choj ruled around this time, and it’s he who commissioned the Mural of the Four Suns (more below).

The last recorded ruler is known as Jaguar Serpent, and his final monument dates to 909. In fact, this is the very last Mayan Long Count date ever discovered!

Evidence suggests that later around the year 1000, Toniná was occupied by a group of outsiders. In addition to attempting to repair parts of the pyramid, they also buried their ᴅᴇᴀᴅ within it. These settlers remained until around the year 1250, after which Toniná remained abandoned for good.

Centuries later, a Spanish priest would document the ruins around the year 1700, while the famous archaeologist duo of John Lloyd Stephens and Frederick Catherwood would briefly visit in 1840.

Minor excavations would then be carried out throughout the 20th century, but nothing major happened until 1972, when the site was studied and excavated in detail by a team of French archaeologists.

Considering how mᴀssive the Toniná Pyramid is, there’s surely a lot more waiting to be discovered.