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Around Tenochtitlan Religious worship Visitor’s guide



Visitor’s guide

Here is some cultural information that may be of interest to visitors.

Ceremonial centers

We devote much of our time to religious practices, and we expect visitors to show respect for our gods and rites. Most religious activities take place within walled ceremonial centers. Inside a center, there is a temple, gardens, living quarters for priests, sacred pools for ceremonial cleansing, and racks for skulls from sacrifices. Many centers also have a court for tlachtli.

Language

We speak a beautiful language called Náhuatl. Learning some common phrases in our language may help you on your visit. To start you off, here are words for two popular food items: chocolatl, a drink made from cacao beans; and tomatl, a juicy red fruit that grows on a vine.

Food

Food is rich, spicy, and delicious in Montezuma's empire. Many dishes have sauces flavored with chili peppers. Our principal food is a thin cornmeal pancake called tlaxcalli. We scoop up foods with a tlaxcalli or wrap it around food to make a taco.

Shopping

The market places of our empire are amazing to see. Our largest market is at Tlatelolco, just outside Tenochtitlan. As many as 60,000 people visit this market every day. There, you can trade your goods for anything made in the empire. Popularly traded items include cacao beans, cotton, jaguar pelts, rubber, feathers of tropical birds, and finely carved tools made of sharp volcanic rock.