The Pyramid of the Moon, at the north end of the Calzada de los Muertos, is smaller than the Pirámide del Sol, but more gracefully proportioned. Completed around AD 300, its summit is nearly the same height as Pirámide del Sol because it’s built on higher ground, and is worth scaling for perspective on the dominance of the larger pyramid. The Plaza de la Luna , just in front of the pyramid, is a handsome arrangement of 12 temple platforms.
Some experts attribute astronomical symbolism to the total number of 13 (made up of the 12 platforms plus the pyramid), a key number in the day-counting system of the Mesoamerican ritual calendar. The altar in the plaza’s center is thought to have been the site of religious dancing.
