FACT: The Largest Pyramid on Earth is not in Egypt

The World’s Biggest Pyramid Is Hidden Under a Mountain in Mexico

Yes. You heard that right. The largest pyramid on the planet is not in Giza Egypt, or even close, but some 12,486 kilometers west in Mexico. Many people don’t even know that there are pyramids outside Egypt and that is probably why the Giza Pyramid is by far the most talked-about and visited.

While nobody has actually ever suggested that it is the biggest pyramid, it is safe to assume that many people think that it is which is wrong. The biggest pyramid on earth is the Great Pyramid of Cholula, a primeval Aztec temple in Puebla, Mexico.

The Great Pyramid of Cholula has a base four times larger than the Egypt’s, and twice as much volume. But why haven’t you ever heard of this world’s biggest pyramid? It could be because it is buried beneath the ground making it look like a mountain.

It is easy not to pay much attention to this gigantic structure because it doesn’t strike as anything unusual. In fact, the popular Spanish explorer Hernan Cortes totally missed it and even built a church on top of it. That is unbelievable!

Great Pyramid of Cholula by Sharron McClellan via Flickr CC

It is generally believed that the towering structure was built in circa 300 BC by several communities to honor Quetzalcoatl – an ancient god.

According to BBC, adobe was used to construct the pyramid (a kind of mud-baked brick) and encompasses six layers that were added on top of each other over many generations.

The incremental constructions are the reason why the Great Pyramid of Cholula is so huge, with a 450 by 450 meters base (1,480 by 1,480 ft.), which is four times as big as the Pyramid of Giza, although the one in Giza is taller at 146 meters high.