Mexico City: A Medley Of The Pre-hispanic, Colonial And Modern Times
Some only think of Mexico City as a modern, bustling
, smoggy, traffic-laden landscape, smothered in skyscrapers. While this may indeed be the case in some areas, there are still plentiful reminders of pre-Hispanic and colonial times to be seen throughout modern Mexico City.
The Plaza de Las Tres Culturas for instance, provides a perfect example of the juxtaposition of pre-Hispanic, colonial and modern architecture common to Mexico City. The modern culture of Mexico City in the Plaza of the Three Cultures is represented by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs building constructed in the 1970s. Alongside is the colonial Temple of Santiago which dates back to 1610. The plaza is also located where the great Aztec market Tlateloco once stood. Ruins from this era, excavated in the 1950s, represent the third culture in the Plaza of the Three Cultures.
Other pre-Hispanic ruins can be found in the midst of modern construction in the Pia Suarez station of the metro (subway system).
Mexico City boasts more than 1,000 buildings from the Spanish colonial period which have been preserved in modern times. Many of these were constructed using the stones from the pyramids of the former Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan that existed here prior to the arrival of Hernan Cortes in 1519 and the subsequent conquest in 1521.
One example is the building housing the Mexico City Museum. This former residence of the Counts of Colima was originally built in the 16th century and remodeled in the 18th century. Its cornerstone was extracted from the largest of the Aztec pyramids, the Templo Mayor and depicts the plumed serpent god known as Quetzalcoatl. Inside, the museum displays art and furnishings which outline the evolution of the city from the pre-Hispanic and colonial periods through to the present day era following Mexicos independence.
Moving down Pio Suarez Street toward the Zocalo, Mexico Citys immense plaza, a statue recalls the Aztec legend of the founding of Tenochtitlan. The nomadic Aztecs came upon the prophesied vision of an eagle perched upon a nopal cactus with a serpent between its jaws which indicated where to settle and build a city. This same symbol is featured on the flag of Mexico.
Mexico Citys vast Zocalo is the second largest public square in the world behind Moscows Red Square. It is dominated on each side by impressive colonial buildings including the Metropolitan Cathedral and Mexicos National Palace. On the faade of the palace is a depiction of the founding cultures of Mexico, namely, the indigenous and Spanish cultures.
Of course the highlight of the Palace is to be able to view the murals painted by Diego Rivera titled, Epic of the Mexican People in their Struggle for Freedom and Independence. The murals are bitingly satirical in their depiction of politicians, the church and national and international political movements. There is also a reverence for the culture and grandeur of pre-Hispanic Mexico and a reviling of the subjugation of the indigenous peoples by their Spanish conquerors.
To the north of the Palace, ruins of the Templo Mayor, the Great Aztec ceremonial temple can still be seen. Workers digging at the site in 1978 discovered a huge sacrificial stone that identified it as the pyramid site. The pyramid had originally been thought to be buried underneath the nearby Cathedral. Excavations which commenced in 1981 revealed several underlying portions of the multi-layered structure and hundreds of archeological relics were also uncovered. These can now be viewed in the adjoining museum.
Adjacent to the Templo Mayor, on the North side of the Zocalo is the imposing Metropolitan Cathedral. This is yet another edifice which employed the Great Pyramids stones in its construction. Begun in the early 1670s it was not fully completed until 250 years later. The largest Cathedral of its kind in Latin America, it features several altars and gilded chapels.
The Church of San Francisco, on the site once occupied by Montezumas zoo, is one of the first churches that the conquering Cortes ordered to be constructed in 1524. On the inner walls there are depictions of St. Francis of Assisi, the founder of the Franciscan order and not coincidently, the patron saint of animals, now firmly ensconced at the former site of the zoo.
Across the street the nearly 400 year-old Casa de los Azulejos is named after the blue ceramic tiles which cover the exterior walls of the building. In 1903, this building was purchased by Sanborns, a restaurant company which now has franchises throughout the country. Today this signature Sanborns restaurant still operates along with a gift shop. On one of the stairways is a mural by Jose Clemente Orozco entitled Omniscience.
For a sampling of other monuments one need only travel along Mexico Citys famous Paseo de la Reforma. Inspired by the Champs Elysee of Paris, this 12-kilometer tree-lined boulevard was initiated by the Emperor Maximilian during his short-lived reign, to provide a more direct route from the Chapultepec Castle where he lived, to the Government Palace in the centre of Mexico City.
Originally passing through upper-class, residential colonies, Reforma is now Mexico Citys financial district and is lined with modern skyscrapers and buildings such as hotels, embassies, the stock market and the national lottery. Dispersed among a series of busy traffic circles there are several monuments dedicated to famous persons and events of the past.
The National Museum of Anthropology stands out as one of the worlds finest. The museum houses 23 distinct display halls featuring an incredible collection of artifacts from Mexicos indigenous cultures, current and past including the Aztec calendar stone, extracted from the great pyramid of Tenochtitlan, that has come to be one of the most lasting and recognizable symbols of the nation of Mexico.
Tenochtitlan was an intricate city of canals, bridges and floating gardens. Remains of this engineering miracle can still be visited today to the south of Mexico City at Zochimilco. Colorful boats identified by womens names can be chartered for a morning or afternoon cruise. Commandeered through these canals by gondoliers, the boats are approached by an interesting array of vendors selling everything from tortillas and corn to soup and flowers. The air is filled with the sound of marimba bands or mariachis who also float by and offer to play a favorite song for a price. The canals of Zochimilco are surrounded by nurseries where, as in the era of the Aztecs, plants are cultivated on the huge mounds of earth and vegetation.
There is so much more to see and do in Mexico City. From trendy suburbs to less fortunate barrios, from modern commercial zones to rustic markets, contemporary universities, churches, museums and sporting venues there is something for everyone. Truly, Mexico City with its enormity, its history, its culture and its unique urban landscape is one of the most intriguing places in the world to visit.
by: Peter Knight
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