Mexico city Go and explore!
basic voccabulary english
spanish
Hello, my name is... Good morning Good afternoon Good evening
Hola me llamo... Buenos días Buenas tardes Buenas noches
How are you? Im fine Nice to meet you! Goodbye See you later
¿Cómo estás? Estoy bien ¡Mucho gusto! Adiós Hasta luego
Excuse me Please Thank you Im sorry Bless you You are welcome How much does it cost? What time is it?
Con permiso Por favor Gracias Lo siento Salud De nada ¿Cuánto cuesta? ¿Qué hora es?
Yes No I dont understand Can you speak slower please? Who? Why?
Sí No No entiendo ¿Puedes hablar más despacio por favor? ¿Quién? ¿Por qué?
City Map
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CONTENT 8 12
Sightseeing: historical center - zOcalo templo mayor Palacio de bellas artes paseo de la Reforma castillo and bosque de chaputlepec museo de antropologia Coyoacan
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History of Mexico City Explore nearby: Xochimilco
explore nearby: Tetihuacan
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envelope for memories
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PE BASILIKA OF GUADALU
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HISTORY OF MEXICO CITY Mexico City is located in a valley that was inhabited by several indigenous groups from 100 to 900 A.D. The Aztecs were fierce warriors who eventually dominated other tribes throughout the region. They took what was once a small natural island in the Lake Texcoco and expanded it by hand to create their home and fortress, the beautiful TENOCHTITLÁN. Their civilization, like their city, eventually became the largest and most powerful in pre-Columbian America. Skilled warriors, the Aztecs During the Aztec period, Mexico dominated all of Mesoamerica City was initially built over a lake, during this era, making some allies but even more enemies. the Lago de Texcoco.
DID YOU KNOW?
Aztecs built an artificial island by dumping soil into the lagoon.
When Spanish explorer Hernán Cortés made it clear in 1519 that he intended to conquer the area, many local chieftains seized the opportunity to liberate themselves from Aztec rule and joined his army. When Cortés and his allies arrived in the area, MOCTEZUMA II believed that the Spaniard was (or was related to) the god Quetzalcóatl, whose return had been prophesied. Moctezuma sent gifts to the Spanish, hoping they would depart and spare his city. Undaunted, Cortés marched his army to the city and entered it. Not wishing to offend a god, Moctezuma welcomed Cortés and his soldiers into the city and extended every courtesy. After enjoying the king’s hospitality for several weeks, Cortés suddenly ordered that the emperor be placed under house arrest, intending to use him to gain leverage with the Aztecs. For months after, Moctezuma continued to appease his captors, losing most of his subjects’ respect in the process. IN 1520, CORTÉS AND HIS TROOPS CONQUERED THE TEOTIHUACÁN. The Spanish then built Mexico City on the ruins of the once great city.
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During the colonial period (1535-1821), Mexico City was one of the most important cities in the Americas. Although the native Indians needed work permits to enter the Spanish-dominated city, the population inevitably intermingled and created the Mestizo class, mixed-blood citizens who eventually became a political force. During the 16th and 17th centuries, the caste system prevailed in Mexico City, separating the population into complex ethnic divisions. The Catholic Church had great influence in the city, and religious orders like the Franciscans, Marists and Jesuits established convents and missions throughout Mexico.
The Spanish Crown’s power relied on the support and loyalty of New Spain’s aristocracy. Political power remained in the hands of the Spaniards born in Spain, but by the 18th century, the CRIOLLO CLASS (descendants of the Spanish, born in the Americas) had grown in number and social power. The struggle for recognition among the various classes drew attention to the country’s political corruption and helped spark the independence movement.
THE WAR OF INDEPENDENCE LASTED 11 YEARS. IN 1821, THE LAST VICEROY OF NEW SPAIN, JUAN O’DONOJU, SIGNED THE PLAN OF IGUALA, WHICH GRANTED MEXICO INDEPENDENCE.
The catalyst for Mexico’s independence was a Catholic priest named MIGUEL HIDALGO y Costilla, who made the first public cry for rebellion in Dolores, Hidalgo, in 1810. Hidalgo had begun attending meetings of educated criollos who were agitating for a large-scale uprising of mestizos and indigenous peasants. When rumors of military intervention by the Spanish began, the priest decided it was time to act. Parishioners who came to hear mass on Sunday, SEPTEMBER 16, 1810, instead heard a call to arms.
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RECENT HISTORY
When Mexico’s Distrito Federal (Federal District, also known as Mexico D.F.) was created in 1824, it originally encompassed Mexico City and several other municipalities. As Mexico City grew, it became one large urban area. In 1928, all other municipalities within the Distrito Federal were abolished except Mexico City, making it by default the country’s Distrito Federal. In 1993, the 44th Article of the Constitution of Mexico officially declared Mexico City and the Distrito Federal to be a single entity. In 1846, after two decades of peace, Mexico City was invaded by the United States during the Mexican-American War. Under the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, which ended the war in 1848, Mexico was forced
In 2018 the metropolitan area had a population of
21,65 million
largest metropolitan area
making it the
in the western hemisphere.
to cede a wide swath of its northern territory to the United States. Today, that territory makes up the U.S. states of New Mexico, Nevada, Colorado, Arizona, California and portions of Utah and Wyoming. Mexico was also forced to recognize the independence of Texas.
CATHEDRAL METROPOLITANA 10
On July 17, 1861, Mexican President Benito Juárez suspended all interest payments to Spain, France and Britain, who launched a combined assault on Veracruz in January 1862. When Britain and Spain withdrew their forces, the French took control of the country. Supported by Mexican conservatives and by French Emperor Napoleon III, Maximiliano de Hamburgo arrived in 1864
WAR OF INDEPENDENCE:
to rule Mexico. His policies were more liberal than expected, but he soon lost Mexican support and was assassinated on June 19, 1867, when the liberal government of Benito Juárez regained Mexico’s leadership of the country. On November 29, 1876, Porfirio Díaz appointed himself president. He served one term and ushered in his hand-picked successor, Manuel González, whose presidency was marked by corruption and official incompetence. Díaz was then re-elected and saw to it that the constitution was amended to allow two terms in office with unlimited re-elections. A cunning and manipulative politician, Díaz maintained power for the next 36 years through violence, election fraud and repression, even assassination, of his opponents.
SEPT. 16
1810 - 1821
DID YOU KNOW?
The states New Mexico, Nevada, Colorado, Arizona, California and Texas where Mexican territory before 1848.
BY 1910, the citizenry had lost patience with Díaz’s self-serving leadership and unwillingness to recognize minority rights. On November 20 of that year, Francisco Madero issued the Plan de San Luis Potosí, which declared the Díaz regime illegal and initiated a REVOLUTION AGAINST THE PRESIDENT. Forces led by Francisco Villa, Emiliano Zapata and Venustiano Carranza supported Madero’s bid for the presidency, and Díaz reluctantly agreed to step aside in 1911. Political turmoil and power exchanges continued for over a decade, ending with the establishment of the Partido Nacional Revolucionario party (today’s PRI), which ushered in a period of stability for Mexico City and the rest of the country that lasted until 2000.
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EXPLORE NEARBY:
XOCHIMILCO
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IN THE SOUTH OF MEXICO CITY, A NETWORK OF CANALS WEAVES THROUGH A SERIES OF MAN-MADE ISLANDS IN XOCHIMILCO,
...the so-called “Venice of the New World.” Xochimilco, meaning “where the flowers grow,” is aptly named for its chinampas, or floating gardens. Farmers constructed reed rafts on the lake, slathered them with mud, and cultivated fruits, vegetables, and flowers right on the water.
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FLOWERS
GROW
MEANING: WHERE THE
Over time, the gardens rooted and became islands. On weekends, TRAJINERAS, brightly decorated flat-bottom boats, carry passengers through the canals. Small boats also navigate the waterways, delivering drinks and snacks to lively passengers. The floating city was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1987—the only remaining example of traditional pre-Hispanic land use of the lagoons in the Mexico City basin.
DID YOU KNOW?
The farmers cultivating the products on the islands (chinampa) of Xochimilco are called: CHINAMPEROS.
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PLACES TO VISIT...
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ZOCALO (HISTORICAL CENTER) catedral metropolitana
Museum templo mayor
metro plaza de la constitucion palacio nacional Palacio del Ayuntamiento
THE MAIN SQUARE IN MEXICO CITY, LA PLAZA DE LA CONSTITUCIÓN, IS ALSO CALLED EL ZÓCALO.
At over 13 acres in area, it’s Latin America’s largest main square and the second largest worldwide. At the center flies the Mexican flag, which is surrounded by the Cathedral (north), the national palace (east) home to the president’s offices, the local Mexico City government offices (south) and assorted hotels and commercial businesses (west).
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Mexicos Cathedral is sinking at a rate of
38-51cm
a year.
The CATEDRAL METROPOLITANA in the north is one of the largest cathedrals in the Western Hemisphere. It was built over a period of more than 200 years and combines Renaissance, baroque, and neoclassical architectural styles. Constructed in the Spanish Baroque style, it features a pair of 58-meter tall neoclassical towers that hold 18 bells.
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with over
13
acres
The Aztecs built their empire on Lake Texcoco in the Valley of Mexico—a great island city connected by canals and protected by fortresses. When Spanish conquerors arrived in Tenochtitlan in the 16th century, they destroyed the island, drained the lake, and constructed a “CITY OF PALACES” over the ruins. Past and present blend together in the 10acre Historic Center of Mexico City—its museums, cathedrals, and temples reveal a storied past.
latin americas
largest main square
The colonial building of the national palace is located at the site where the palace of the Aztec ruler Moctezuma once stood, and it’s decorated with murals by Mexican artist DIEGO RIVERA.
PALACIO NACIONAL
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TEMPLO MAYOR BENEATH MEXICO CITY LIE THE RUINS OF THE PRE-HISPANIC AZTEC CAPITAL OF TENOCHTITLAN Its center was the Great Pyramid, Templo Mayor, the main temple in the Aztec capital. In the mid-20th century, the religious site was discovered under the Mexico City Metropolitan Cathedral and excavated by archaeologists in the 1970s.
Can you find this stone?
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Hérnan Cortés destroyed most of the pyramid during his conquest in 1521, but some pieces of the ancient temple have been unearthed and restored to their former splendor.
FROM TORRE LATIONO YOU HAVE A NICE VIEW OVER THE CITY
VIEW FROM THE MUSEUM Visitors can view pyramids, ceremonial platforms, and the complex’s main temples dedicated to the gods of war and rain. The Templo Mayor Museum showcases many of the era’s artifacts—which continue to be unearthed— such as obsidian knives, clay pots, masks, skulls, and urns.
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PALACIO DE BELLAS ARTES MEXICO CITY HAS MORE THAN 150 MUSEUMS AND GALLERIES.
One of them is the Palacio de Bellas Artes. Its a stunning work of early 20th-century architecture located in the Centro Histórico. The palace hosts temporary art exhibits and features permanent murals by some of Mexico’s most celebrated artists, including DIEGO RIVERA, JOSÉ CLEMENTE OROZCO, AND RUFINO TAMAYO. At the top floor of the
building you find the Museo Nacional de Arquitectura.
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MORE MUSEUMS: The SOUMAYA MUSEUM was designed by the Mexican architect Fernando Romero and is one of the most visited in Mexico City. It hosts a collection of more than 66,000 works spanning 3,000 years, including pre-Hispanic Mesoamerica, 19th- and 20th-century Mexican art, and works by European masters such as Auguste Rodin, Salvador Dalí, Pablo Picasso, and Vincent van Gogh. The DOLORES OLMEDO MUSEUM’S beautiful five-building complex features a collection of pre-Hispanic, colonial, folk, and contemporary art, including a large collection of works by FRIDA KAHLO AND DIEGO RIVERA. Its located near Xochimilco.
ORKS ARE: W T R A E IT R U O V A MY F 25
PASEO DE LA REFORMA The paseo de la reforma is a wide avenue from northeast to southwest in Mexico City. Along you find modern architecture and sculpture as well as a lot of business buildings and the à NGEL DE LA INDEPENDENCIA, which was finished in 1910, 100 years after the independence from Spain (and in time to be present for the start of Mexico’s next revolution).
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The Angel is actually a winged statue of Victoria, the ancient Roman goddess of victory. She holds a crown of laurel in one hand (to place on the heads of the triumphant independence insurgents) and a broken three-link chain in the other, to symbolize three centuries of Spanish rule in Mexico before Mexicans rose up and broke from Spain.
ANGEL DE INDEPENDENCIA
Within the base of the Independence Angel is a tiny MAUSOLEUM with the remains of Mexico’s greatest generals and instigators who were active during the fight for independence. Ignacio Allende, Miguel Hidalgo, Juan Aldama, and Don Nicolas Bravo lie here, among others.
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BOSQUE AND CASTILLO DE CHAPUTLEPEC The CASTILLO DE CHAPULTEPEC (Castle of Chapultepec) was built atop Chapultepec Hill, which is situated in the middle of the city’s Chapultepec Park and rises 2.325 meters above sea level. The building has served several purposes during its history: military academy; imperial and presidential residence; and observatory and currently houses the Mexican National Museum of History.
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At more than 1.600 acres, Chapultepec is Mexico City’s largest park and home to several significant historical sites. Near the park’s main entrance stands the Monument of Young Heroes, which honors six young cadets who refused to surrender at the BATTLE OF CHAPULTEPEC in 1847 during the Mexican-American War.
only castle
in North America
once occupied by
monarchs ENJOY A BOAT RIDE AT CHAPUTLEPEC LAKE
Other attractions in the park include botanical gardens, a modern art museum, Tamayo Museum, and National Museum of Anthropology (more on the next pages). Outside the main entrance of the anthropology museum, costumed entertainers perform the ancient rite of the VOLADORES (fliers), in which four instrument-wielding men swing around a tall pole as if they were flying.
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MUSEO DE ANTROPOLOGIA Among the city’s wide array of museums is the National Museum of Anthropology, located within Chapultepec Park. The museum contains significant anthropological finds from across the country, such as the Stone of the Sun (commonly known as the AZTEC CALENDAR) and the 16th-century Aztec statue of Xochipilli. Built in the 17th century, the Museo Rufino Tamayo contains magnificent pre-Columbian art exhibits that were donated by Mexican artist Rufino Tamayo.
WITH
2 MILLION
IN 2017 IT'S MEXICOS
MOST VISITED MUSEUM
FEATHER HEADDRESS REPLIC OF MOCTEZUMA II 30
IN THE MUSEUM YOU CAN LEARN ABOUT THE DIFFERENT ANCIENT CULTURES THAT INHABITED MEXICO, SUCH AS THE MEXICA, THE MAYA AND THE NAHUAS.
DON'T MISS TO VISIT THE SECOND LEVEL OF THE MUSEUM!
PIEDRA DEL SOL 31
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COYOACAN ONE OF MEXICO CITY’S “MAGICAL NEIGHBORHOODS,” IS COYOACÁN. It has vibrant cobblestone streets, colonial churches, and bustling markets that transport visitors back in time. The main plaza, Jardín Centenario (Centenario Garden), showcases a fountain honoring the coyote—the animal that gave Coyoacán, “the place of coyotes,” its name. Across from the plaza, the early 16th-century San Juan Bautista Cathedral towers into the sky.
DID YOU KNOW?
In Nahuatl: Coyohuacan stems from Coyotl= Coyote and Huacan= abound. The exact translation is “place where Coyotes abound”.
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FUENTE DE LOS COYOTES
A 15-minute walk from the plaza leads to La Casa Azul (the Blue House), the former home of Mexican icon FRIDA KAHLO, which was converted into a museum after her death. In the Bazar Artesanal Mexicano you can find lots of traditional handicrafts.
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EXPLORE NEARBY:
TEOTIHUACAN
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Mexico boasts more UNESCO World Heritage sites than any other country in the Americas, like the ancient archaeological site of Teotihuacan, located 45 minutes northeast of Mexico City.
Lining the Avenue of the Dead, the monumental Temple of Quetzalcoatl and the Pyramids of the Sun and the Moon stretch across the valley in geometric patterns—a model of urbanization and city planning that guided subsequent cultures. The towering structures represent only 10
PERCENT OF THE TOTAL SURFACE, a testament to one
of the largest and most powerful cultural and artistic centers in Mesoamerica. In fact, this site is so awe-inspiring, some people believe it was built by aliens.
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LOCATED IN THE
45MIN
NORTHEAST OF MEXICO D.F.
Teotihuacรกn was founded in 1325 A.D. by the MEXICAS. Its development fulfilled one of their ancient prophecies: The Mexicas believed that their god would show them where to build a great city by providing a sign, an eagle eating a snake while perched atop a cactus. When the Mexicas (who would later be known as the Aztecs) saw the vision come true on an island in Lake Texcoco, they decided to build a city there.
PYRAMID OF THE SUN 37
check out the digital version (including links)
TEXT ORIGINALLY FROM:
Gulnaz Khan (https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/destinations/ north-america/mexico/top-10-things-to-do-in-mexico-city/, 20.11.18) history.com editors (https://www.history.com/topics/mexico/distrito-federal, 20.11.18) Lydia Carey (https://theculturetrip.com/north-america/mexico/articles/9-fascinating-facts-about-mexico-citys-angel-of-independence/, 20.11.18) Edited by Veronika Rehm
FOTOS BY:
Veronika Rehm Carlos Alcazar Jess Lis Claudia Martinez Lis Roldan (http://sinapsismx.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Xochimilco. jpg, 25.11.18) S.12 (https://d8nz9a88rwsc9.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/museo-soumaya-1.jpg 25.11.18) S.25 Luis Acosta, AFP, Getty Images S.34 Ken Fagan (https://shesc.asu.edu/sites/default/files/images_asunews/teotihuacan-16_0.jpg, 25.11.18) S.37
ICONS FROM:
https://thenounproject.com
ILLUSTRATIONS: Veronika Rehm
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my memories
TRAVEL GUIDE FOR MEXICO CITY edited & published by
Veronika Rehm (2018)