Tezontle (Spanish: tezontle) is a porous, highly oxidized, volcanic rock used extensively in construction in Mexico. It is usually reddish in color due to iron oxide.[1] Tezontle is a well-cemented, agglomeritic and scoriaceous rock.[2]
Tezontle can be mixed with concrete to form lightweight concrete blocks,[3] or mixed with cement to create stucco finishes.[1] Many colonial buildings in Mexico use the reddish cut tezontle on their facades.
Tezontle is a common construction material in the Historic Center of Mexico City as the relatively light-weight stone helps impede a building from sinking into the unstable lake bed on which Mexico City was built.
Non-building uses include its inclusion in flower arrangements and botanical gardens, as substrate for aquariums, and for temazcales and ovens.[4]
Tezontle is often used as the top layer of gravel on unpaved roads in Mexico.
Many buildings use tezontle to create an aesthetic facade. Here are some examples.