Mexico City

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Mexico City began as Tenochtitlan, a Mexica city built around 1325 on islands in Lake Texcoco. After the 1521 siege of Tenochtitlan, it was nearly destroyed and rebuilt according to Spanish urban standards. In 1524, the municipality was established as México Tenochtitlán, and from 1585 onward it was officially known as Ciudad de México. During the Spanish colonial period, the city served as a major political, administrative, and financial center for New Spain. The existing central plaza of the Aztecs became the Zócalo, which remains the ceremonial center and seat of power in modern Mexico.

In Their Own Story

The area was first settled by the Mexica around 1325 or 1327 on an island in Lake Texcoco. Hernán Cortés arrived on November 8, 1519, with aid from other native peoples. Tensions led to La Noche Triste on June 30, 1520, when the Aztecs drove out the Europeans. After regrouping, Cortés began a siege in May 1521 that lasted three months, ending with Cuauhtémoc's surrender in August 1521. The Spaniards razed Tenochtitlan and rebuilt it as Mexico City. In 1824, the surrounding territory was organized as the country's only federal district (Distrito Federal). Residents won the right to elect their head of government in 1997, and on January 29, 2016, the Federal District was officially renamed Ciudad de México.

Reader's Guide

Mexico City is divided into 16 boroughs known as alcaldías. The historic center features the Zócalo, flanked by the Mexico City Metropolitan Cathedral and the National Palace. Tenochtitlan's layout influenced the modern city, though Spanish churches were built over old Aztec temples. The city sits on the drained bed of Lake Texcoco at an altitude of 2,240 meters. For exploration, Xochimilco preserves ancient canal systems in the south. Coyoacán was where Cortés first settled before rebuilding Tenochtitlan.

Did You Know?

• Mexico City is one of only two capital cities in the Americas founded by Indigenous peoples.
• In 2013, if Mexico City were an independent country, it would have been the fifth-largest economy in Latin America.
• The informal demonym for residents is chilango, a term historically used pejoratively by outsiders but now proudly embraced by many locals.
• A 2003 study dated the 'Peñón woman' remains found near Mexico City to 12,700 years old, making them one of the oldest human remains in the Americas.
• The city's motto during the colonial period was 'Muy Noble e Insigne, Muy Leal e Imperial'.