Oaxaca State is located in the south-east portion of Mexico. Oaxaca de Juarez City, capital of the state, is located in the center of the state. The pleasing subtropical climate and the serenity of the remote surroundings are what attract most of the travelers to the Oaxaca Valley. The ancient Zapotecs built pyramid platforms at specific places in the natural surroundings. The most ancient of these pyramid cloisters can be found in a small town outside of Oaxaca called El Mogote, which means The Hump. From this pyramid the visitors can see the mountains where, later on, Monte Alb n City was built. If you climb Monte Alb n at dawn, you will be able to witness the mourning mist. It lingers above the valley like a night-time blanket and it lifts as the sun rises. This is perhaps why the Zapotecs used to call themselves "the people of the clouds". Oaxaca City is the capital of Oaxaca State. It is a colonial city founded by the Spanish conquerors and is a magical place with its main square called Z¢calo, many churches and good museums. The City of Oaxaca offers visitors great colonial architecture, including the Santo Domingo Temple, the Cathedral, the Government Palace, the Macedonio Alcala Theater, the Lesser Basilica of Nuestra Senñora de la Soledad, the Rufino Tamayo Museum of Prehispanic Art, and the House of Cortes. You can also enjoy a variety of musical bands performing in the traditional "kiosco" and the "Alameda."