Monte Albán Located in Oaxaca state, Mexico, Monte Albán showcases the ruins of an ancient center of Zapotec and Mixtec culture. The Zapotec civilization (c. 700 BC–1521 AD) thrived in the Valley of Oaxaca in Mesoamerica. The site features grand plazas, pyramids, a ball game court, underground passageways, and about 170 tombs. Perched on high ground for defensibility, it stands at an elevation of approximately 1,940 meters (6,400 feet) above sea level, rising around 400 meters (1,300 feet) from