In the history of architecture, Pre-Columbian architecture reached its greatest level of achievement in two cultural zones: Meso-America (comprising much of Mexico and Central America) and the Andean region. It was a unique, symbolic architecture, always based around ceremonial centres. These two geographical environments were very different, but in both cases exterior spaces were adroitly exploited, with little attention paid to interior ones.

In Meso-America, a number of ceremonial sites were built between 1200Bc and AD200, each under a theocratic regime. Among these ancient centres are La Venta and Cuicuilco, both with circular pyramids. From AD200, during what is known as the Classic Period, diverse cultures emerged in different stages and at different sites. They share several features, such as urban centres composed of buildings with taluses (sloping walls) and superimposed panels that included sloping front steps with struts. Two important settlements in the high plateau region are Xochilcalco and Teotihuacan, the latter a huge urban complex sustaining a considerable population. Further south the Zapotec centre of Monte Alban, and the Mayan’s Palenque and Tikal, were also very important.

Typical of Meso-American architecture are plazas surrounded by monumental pyramids, crowned by temples or altars in honour of a particular cult. There were also palace complexes and areas for ball games, which had cult significance. With the rise of military and imperialistic states after AD900, ceremonial building complexes shared their importance with buildings representing power and trade. In the high plateau region Tula became the dominant city, and later on there was a series of kingdoms, among which the most outstanding was Tenochtitlan, the island capital of the Aztecs. Important sites in the south included Mitla, representative of the Mixtec culture, and Chichen Itza and Uxmal, two of a large number of Mayan cities.

The varied cultures of the Andean region were less developed, having no writing system. Their architecture was thus less elaborate and monumental, but their ceremonial centres are nevertheless full of interest. The greatest of the earliest civilizations flourished at Chavin de Huantar, in the 10th century BC. During the first eight centuries AD the Mochica culture extended far to the north; evidence of this can be seen in the adobe pyramids they built at different intervals. Tiahuanaco, a stone-built complex in the highest point of the central region, was the centre of a period of expansion about AD500. With the decline of the Tiahuanaco, the kingdom of the Chimu flourished; their capital, Chan-Chan, was built entirely of adobe. The most important central nucleus of the region was the Incan Empire, which rose to power around AD1200 and was based around the Central Andean Plateau. Cuzco, its capital, and other cities such as Ollantaytambo and Machu Picchu were of particular importance for defensive purposes