Programa Arquitectonico

Rough draft of the essay.
History of architecture.
Arq. Alejandra Moreno
Alex Rodriguez.
Gilberto Torres.
Mario Alexis.
ITESM CSN
Ancient Mexico.
Introduction.(thesis)
Mexico was parto f Mesopotamia, a large territory, located in the countries of Mexico, Belice, Guatemala, Honduras and Salvador; in ancient Mexico a loto of cultures were important, por example: toltecs, mayans, zapotecs,aztecs, Olmeca, each one with their traditions and characteristics.
The culture of ancient Mexico covers a long period of history, divided into three major stages:
Preclassic – 2,000 BC. to 200 BC
Formation period – lasts 20 centuries
Olmecs Mayans, and Zapotecs.
Olmecs (Called Mother Culture) in Veracruz and Tabasco, ca. 1200 BC
Ceremonial centers: San Lorenzo, La Venta and Tres ZapotesWe own them astronomy, time calculation, writing, cult to certain deities, ceremonial centers, some orientation of buildings towards the stars.

Classic – 200 BC to 900 AD

Larger development in art and urbanism. Splendor of many independent cities with large ceremonial centers.
Development of great urban civilizations.
Cultures:Mayans,Zapotecs,Teotihuacans.
Teotihuacan, one of themost important city of ancient Mexico.

Postclassic – 900 AD to 1521 AD
End period. At the beginning of this period, many cities were abandoned or destroyed, but then the Mexica power was established.
Aztec empire. Tenochtitlan.
Invasion of Aridoamerican peoples, who mixed with the peoples already living in Mesoamerica.

General characteristics of the architecture in thatculture.
Preclassic period.
* Ceremonial centers: San Lorenzo, La Venta and Tres Zapotes
* Sculpture
* We own them astronomy, time calculation, writing, cult to certain deities, ceremonial centers, some orientation of buildings towards the stars.
* La venta.
Classic period.
* Buildings:temples,palaces,tombs,pyramids, decoraded with murals and reliefs.
• Teotihuacans:Teotihuacán
• Toltecs: Cholula
• Zapotecs: Monte Albán
• Totonacs: El Tajín
• Mayans: Tikal and Palenque
*
Postclassic period.
* They were distinguished by their dam systems and channels.
* Ceremonial centers with pyramids, houses and ball games.
* Walls with sacrifice heads.

Representative City: Chichen itza (Building: Temple of Kukulkan.)
Chichén Itzá (maya: (Chichén)Boca del pozo; de los (Itzá) brujos de agua ) es uno de los principales sitios arqueológicos de la península de Yucatán, en México, ubicado en el municipio de Tinum, en el estado de Yucatán. Vestigio importante y renombrado de la civilización maya, las edificaciones principales que ahí perduran corresponden a la época de la declinación de la propia cultura maya denominada por los arqueólogos comoel período posclásico.
Architecture.
The buildings of Chichén Itzá show a large number of architectural and iconographic elements that some historians have wanted to call mexicanizados.9 The truth is that it is visible the influence of cultures from central Mexico, and mixing with the Puuc style, from the upper peninsula of Classic Maya architecture. The presence of these elements from thecultures of the highlands were conceived several years ago as a result of a mass migration or conquest of the Maya city by Toltec groups. However, studies suggest recientes10 that may have been the cultural expression of a political system and prestigious widespread during the Early Postclassic in Mesoamerica.
Most Representative Building.
Temple of Kukulkan.
The Temple of Kukulkan or Pyramid ofKukulcan, also known by the name "El Castillo", a term used by the Spanish in the sixteenth century, looking for architectural similarity known in Europe. The present church was built in the twelfth century d. C., for the Maya Itza in the ancient city of Chichen Itza, originally founded by the same Maya people in the sixth century. C.1 in the territory belonging to the Mexican state of Yucatan. Its...