Saturday, March 07, 2015

Day Two - Mexico City History


Mexico City is huge and a crazy mix of neighborhoods, architecture and history. You have to love it and the story of its creation. You see the Aztecs built what was to become the capital of their empire on a small island in the Lake of Texcoco, in the Valley of Mexico. Early accounts report the existence of the great lake and the island city. The conquering Spaniards destroyed the island city of Tenochtitlan and started to drain the lake that surrounded it. They built the capital of New Spain, Mexico City, the “city of palaces”, on the ruins of the pre-Hispanic city, following a European model. Independent Mexico maintained its capital on the same place and added its stylistic influences to city that exists today. Of course, that also explains why the modern city is sinking.


Map of the original city with bridges to the mainland


Crowded streets on an afternoon in the city center


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