Cholula, a decayed town of Mexico, situated on the table land of Ana-huac, 6,912 ft. above the sea, in the state and 5 m. W. N. W. of the city of Puebla; pop. 10,000, wholly Indians. It was formerly the capital of an independent state of the same name, but is now little more than a village rapidly sinking into insignificance.

It has still some manufactures of coarse cotton goods, and is surrounded by well tilled gardens and plantations of corn and maguey. In its neighborhood stands the largest of the teocallis or pyramids of Mexico, consisting of an artificial, or as some travellers have supposed a natural hill, cased with layers of adobe, stone, and plaster, and forming a truncated pyramid of four equal sides, facing the cardinal points and divided into the same number of terraces. According to Humboldt's measurement, it is about 1G0 ft. in perpendicular height, 1,400 ft. square at the base, and covers an area of 45 acres. Latrobe states its elevation to be 177 ft. and the length of its base 1,425 ft. It is accessible on all sides, though time has destroyed the regularity of its outline, and covered its sides with trees and shrubs to the very summit. The platform on its top is more than an acre in extent, and is surrounded by a parapet. In its centre stands a chapel to the Virgin, erected by the Spaniards, where masses are celebrated. A part of this pyramid has been laid open by the construction of a road across it, when a cavity was disclosed containing a number of vases, idols in basalt, and two skeletons. It was built in honor of the deity Quetzalcoatl, but its precise age is unknown.

The Aztecs found it here when they settled in Anahuac. Close by are two smaller pyramids. - When the ancient empire of Mexico was in its glory, Cholula was the emporium of the plain, the seat of skilful manufactures, and a holy city where each race had its temples and sacrifices, and whither pilgrims resorted from the most distant quarters. Its streets were gay with the pomp of frequent festivals and processions, while on the summit of the great pyramid rose perpetual flames from the temple of Quetzalcoatl. This temple, a magnificent structure, and an object of profound national reverence, contained an image of the god, wearing about his neck a golden collar, in his ears pendants of turquoise, and on his head a mitre with plumes. He bore a shield covered with emblems, and held in one hand a jewelled sceptre. It is related that at this and the numerous other shrines throughout the city 6;000 human beings were sacrificed every year. Cortes, who stopped at Cholula on his march to Mexico, described it as a beautiful and well fortified town, containing about 20,000 houses, besides which the suburbs were computed to embrace about as many more.

He called it Churultecal. He was received by the inhabitants with apparent kindness, but learning that they were plotting against him he fell upon them unexpectedly, and gave the city up for several hours to massacre and pillage. In his letter to Charles V. he rates the loss of life at 3,000; but most accounts say 8,000.

Teocalli of Cholula.