Mexico City Travel Guide

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City Introduction

The capital and mega-city of Mexico City are built in charming Mexican-Spanish style on the foundations of the Aztecs old capital. Alone it is a mixture that provides the breeding ground for many exciting sights.

Cozy pitches and boulevards with good atmospheric environments are part of what’s waiting in Mexico City. Next to these urban spaces there are many green areas with Chapultepec as the largest close to the center. Chapultepec is a must see place in the form of the anthropological museum.

Of the buildings, Mexico City’s cathedral is among the most famous. It is located on the square Zócalo, which is a good starting point for city walks. From the time of the Aztecs lies the ruins of the magnificent Templo Mayor, and one can also walk in Moctezuma’s footsteps to the place where the emperor first met Spanish Hernán Cortés.

Mexico City is one of the world’s largest cities, and there are also impressive museums and beautiful church buildings. Mexico City’s parks and squares are small oases that tie the metropolis together if you don’t take the subway system, which is one of the world’s largest.

Top Attractions

Zocalo, Mexico City

  • Constitution Square (El Zócalo)/Plaza de la Constitución (El Zócalo): Plaza de la Constitución is Mexico City’s central square in the Old Town; a status it already had in the Aztecs time. In everyday speech the square is simply called El Zócalo. Several of the city’s attractions such as the Catedral Metropolitana are located around the square.
  • The Greater Temple/Templo Mayor: Templo Mayor is the site of one of the great Aztec temples in the capital, Tenochtitlán. A twin temple dedicated to the war god Huitzilopochtli and Tlaloc, the god of rain and agriculture, was central in the buildings complex. Today, you can visit the remaining parts of the Aztec temple.

Cathedral, Mexico City

  • Metropolitan Cathedral/Catedral Metropolitana: Mexico City’s major cathedral, Catedral Metropolitana, is the country’s religious center, and as early as the 1500s, a church building was erected here. With the city’s continued growth and status, it was decided to construct a new large cathedral.

Palacio de Bellas Artes, Mexico City

  • Palace of Fine Arts/Palacio de Bellas Artes: This is Mexico’s premier palace of art. The Palacio de Bellas Artes was built from 1904 by the Italian architect Adamo Boari at the site of the former National Theater, which was here until 1901. The building is beautiful in itself with art deco decor and murals in its interior.

Paseo de la Reforma, Mexico City

  • Promenade of the Reform/Paseo de la Reforma : Paseo de la Reforma is Mexico City’s central and large boulevard, planned by Emperor Maximilian I in the 1860s with inspiration from grand streets in Europe. Along the boulevard you can see a number of monuments to people and events that have had an impact on the history of Mexico and America.
  • Chapultepec Castle & Historical National Museum/Castillo de Chapultepec & Museo Nacional de Historia: Castillo de Chapultepec was built on the hill named Chapultepec, and the name derives from the náhuatl word chapoltepēc, which means the grasshoppers’ hill. The castle was built for the viceroy as a summer residence.

National Museum of Anthropology, Mexico City

  • National Museum of Anthropology/Museo Nacional de Anthropologia: The Museo Nacional de Antropologia is regarded as one of the world’s finest anthropological museums, due to its impressive collection and interesting exhibitions. Here you can experience countless highlights of finds from different cultures and regions of Mexico.

Guadalupe Basilica, Mexico City

  • Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe/Basilica of Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe: This basilica is one of the world’s most visited Catholic pilgrimage sites, dedicated to Mexico’s patron saint, the Virgin of Guadalupe. On the site there is actually both an old and a new church and both are beautiful. In the new church you can see the very icon of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

Other Attractions

Palacio Nacional, Mexico City

  • National Palace/Palacio Nacional: Along the entire east side of El Zócalo lies the Palacio Nacional, whose size is as impressive as the architectural details of the facade and interior halls. The National Palace was built as the Viceroy’s castle in New Spain, and today it is the seat of the Mexican government.
  • Gran Hotel: Gran Hotel is located on the western side of Zócalo, which since the Spanish conquest in 1521 has housed various commercial activities. The hotel building opened as a commercial center with one of the country’s first department stores in 1899.

Casa Azulejos, Mexico City

  • House of Tiles/Casa de los Azulejos: Casa de los Azulejos is one of the finest colonial buildings in Mexico City. It was constructed as a noble city palace by a count and his family from 1793. Today it is known for the beautiful tiles on the facade and in the courtyard, where there is a café.
  • Museum of Mexico City/Museo de la Ciudad de México: The Museum of Mexico City was founded in 1960. Its collection portrays the city’s history in a very interesting way from the Aztec era to the present day. Thus, a visit here makes a good introduction to the Mexican capital.

Alameda Central, Mexico City

  • Alameda Central: Alameda Central is Mexico City’s largest park in the historic city center. Previously, the place has been a marketplace during the Aztecs times. Today Alameda Central serves as a wonderful oasis for the city’s citizens. There are a number of famous buildings and sights around the square.
  • Diego Rivera Mural Museum/Museo Mural Diego Rivera: This is a nice museum that was built around one of the most famous mural of Mexican artist Diego Rivera, named Dream of a Sunday Afternoon in the Alameda Central/Sueño de una tarde dominical en la Alameda Central. the museum is in general a great place to see murals by Rivera.

Plaza de la Republica, Mexico City

  • Republic Square/Plaza de la República: According to Pofirio Diaz’s urban development plan, the large Republic Square was to be transformed into a splendid Parisian-style city space. Here, Mexico’s new parliament building should be located with an impressive size and architecture. The parliament was never built, and the plan was later changed to the great monument to the revolution, the Monumento a la Revolución, which can be seen here today.

Plaza Hidalgo, Mexico City

  • Hidalgo Square/Plaza Hidalgo: Plaza Hidalgo is the suburb town of Coyoacán’s central square,. At the square, the city and district administration have their seats. A trip to Coyoacán is despite the proximity with Mexico City center as a trip to the province of colonial Mexico. You can enjoy your stay at Plaza Hidalgo and also walk around the neighborhood streets.

Museo Frida Kahlo, Mexico City

  • Frida Kahlo Museum/Museo Frida Kahlo: Frida Kahlo was the artist Diego Rivera’s wife, and at the same time she is also very much recognized for her art. At this museum, also known as the Blue House/Casa Azul, Kahlo’s life and works are depicted. Kahlo herself was both born and died in this very house.

Day Trips

Xochimilco, Mexico City

  • Xochimilco: In Xochimilco you can get the impression of the historical floating gardens that the Aztecs built. The city was located on the south side of the now historic lake, Xochimilco, which was part of the large lake system that surrounded the island with the Aztec capital Tenochtitlan. Today, Xochimilco is famous for the colorful boats sailing the lake.

Teotihuacan, Mexico

  • Teotihuacan: The large temple area of ​​Teotihuacan is one of Mexico’s absolute greatest sights. According to the Aztecs, it was the place where the gods created the sun and the moon. In Aztec, Teotihuacan also means The place where people become gods. You can walk around the majestic structures on a visit to here.

Tepotzotlan, Mexico

  • Tepotzotlán: The city of Tepotzotlán is an opportunity to experience a number of fine buildings from the Spanish colonial period. You can e.g. visit the city’s cathedral and the Museum of the Viceroyalty of New Spain/Museo Nacional del Virreinato.

Shopping

With Kids

  • Park : Atlantis Marine Park, Bosque de Chapultepec
  • Children’s Village : Ciudad de los Niños, Centro Santa Fe, Vasco de Quiroga 3800,  www.laciudaddelosninos.com
  • Amusements : La Feria Chapultepec Magico, Bosque de Chapultepec
  • Dragons : Museo Papalote, Bosque de Chapultepec
  • Water park : Parque Acuático El Rollo, José Maria Velasco 130, Lomas Altas, www.elrollo.com.mx
  • Amusement Park : Six Flags Mexico City, Carretera Pichacho al Ajusto 1500, www.sixflags.com
  • Zoo : Jardín Zoológico, Bosque de Chapultepec

Practical Links

City History

Aztec capital
Central Mexico has been inhabited for more than 20,000 years. Funds from the millennium BC are found in the area, among other offerings and effects from various ceremonies.

During the period 100-900, the area was under the control of the city of Teotihuacan, located northeast of Mexico City. In the latter part of this time several important cities such as Cholula and Cacaxtla emerged, which eventually made the Teotihuacan rank unmatched as the area’s leading urban community.

Until the 13th century, when the Aztecs came to the country, power shifted between different groups in the region. In 1299 the new Aztecs settled in Chapultepec, and in 1325 they were given a religious vision of precisely the place where they founded Mexico City as the Aztecs capital Tenochtitlan.

The city of the Aztecs flourished over the following two centuries. Culturally and commercially, the city quickly became a factor of power and the surrounding communities of the surrounding tribes became subject to Tenochtitlan.

In the Aztec city large buildings were erected, not least the central Templo Mayor, which was a distinguished double pyramid. Templo Mayor was the cosmic center of the Aztecs and constructed as a city in a lake based on the myth of the god city Aztlan.

The Spanish colonization
In 1519, Tenochtitlan was the absolute center of the Aztec Empire, and the city was at its peak when Spanish colonists arrived. Led by the conqueror Hernán Cortés, an attack on the city was initiated. After hard battles and 75 days of siege, among others, the city fell in 1521. After the protracted battles, the once mighty city had been reduced to ruins.

The year after the Spanish conquest, Hernán Cortés became the first governor of New Spain, Nueva España. Cortés founded the Spanish capital as Mexico City, Ciudad de Mexico, on the ruins of the Aztec city.

From the outset, Mexico City was built in Spanish-European style, and Hernán Cortés sought to expand the Spanish colonial empire from the beginning. The reigning Cortés was replaced by a broader administrative system from 1528, and in 1535 Antonio de Mendoza was deployed as the first of a total of 61 Mexican deputies.

Throughout the 1500s to 1700s, New Spain developed into a large, prosperous and well-run colonial empire that stretched from the Caribbean to the Philippines. Mexico City was the capital of the kingdom and major buildings were erected, including Latin America’s largest cathedral and a number of mansions. Culturally, the city flourished with frequent theatrical performances, Spanish bullfighting and other entertainment.

It was a time of steady progress, although there were challenges for the city – not least with its location on a soft, often flooded subsoil, including a five-year period from 1629.

Mexico’s independence
An ever-increasing social divide led to a growing desire for independence from Spain, and in 1810 a revolt began at Miguel Hidalgo’s request. The rebellion ends with the establishment of an independent Mexico in 1821.

Long political settlements marked the first decades after independence, and here Mexico experienced a turbulent time when large tracts of land were lost to the United States.

With Porfirio Diaz’s takeover of power in 1876, the country entered a stable and economically prosperous era that lasted until the turn of the century. Large-scale buildings and facilities are now being rebuilt in Mexico City, such as the Art Palace. The time ended with a rebellion in 1910, where the country again became the scene of political strife.

Modern Mexico City
In the latter half of the 20th century, the city’s population increased dramatically. In 1950, about 3 million people lived here. At the turn of the century, 18 million lived in Mexico’s built-up area. The population explosion was started by the Mexican economic miracle, which produced high growth rates from the 1950s.

With the positive economic development many large plants were launched in the city. Mexico City’s metro, which today is the world’s third busiest, was built, and as a result of the country’s great efforts, the Olympic Games were held in the city in 1968.

In the 1970s, the city and the country’s economic deroute began, culminating in Mexico’s suspension of payments in 1982. The crisis was clear, and it worsened in 1985, when Mexico City was hit by an earthquake that cost more than 5,000 lives and the collapse of a number of buildings.

Today, Mexico is part of the North American Free Trade Area NAFTA, which has opened up new market opportunities for the country’s industry and large services sector, which include the tourism industry, which today offers, for example, a number of events and fine collections at museums. Modern Mexico goes hand in hand with its Spanish colonial background.

Geolocation

In short

Overview of Mexico City

The capital and mega-city of Mexico City are built in charming Mexican-Spanish style on the foundations of the Aztecs old capital. Alone it is a mixture that provides the breeding ground for many exciting sights.

Cozy pitches and boulevards with good atmospheric environments are some of the things waiting in town. Next to these urban spaces there are many green areas with Chapultepec as the largest close to the center. Chapultepec is a must see place in the form of the anthropological museum.

Of the buildings, the city’s cathedral is among the most famous. It is located on the square Zócalo, which is a good starting point for city walks. From the time of the Aztecs lies the ruins of the magnificent Templo Mayor, and one can also walk in Moctezuma’s footsteps to the place where the emperor first met Spanish Hernán Cortés.

 

About the travel guide to Mexico City
Number of trips: 5 tours in the city + tours in the surrounding areas
Pages: 43
Published: 2019
Author: Stig Albeck
Publisher: Vamados.dk
Language: Danish
ISBN: 978-87-93329-71-3

 

About the travel guide The travel
guide to Mexico City gives you an overview of the sights and experiences of the Mexican city. Read about top sights and other sights, and buy a travel guide with tour suggestions and descriptions of all the city’s major churches, monuments, mansions, museums, etc.

 

Mexico City is waiting for you, and at vamados.com you can also find cheap flights and great deals on hotels for your trip. You just select your travel dates and then you get flight and accommodation suggestions in and around the city.

 

Read more about Mexico City and Mexico

 

Buy the travel guide
Click the “Put in cart” button to buy the travel guide. You will then be taken to the payment, where you enter the purchase and payment information. After completing the wizard payment, you will immediately receive a receipt with a link to download your purchase. You can download the wizard immediately or use the download link in the email later.

 

Use the travel guide
When you buy the travel guide to Mexico City, you get the book online so you can have it on your phone, tablet or computer – and of course you can choose to print it. Use the maps and tour suggestions and you will have a good and content-rich journey.

El Zócalo • Pyramids • Mariachi • Chapultepec • Templo Mayor

Overview of Mexico City

The capital and mega-city of Mexico City are built in charming Mexican-Spanish style on the foundations of the Aztecs old capital. Alone it is a mixture that provides the breeding ground for many exciting sights.

Cozy pitches and boulevards with good atmospheric environments are some of the things waiting in town. Next to these urban spaces there are many green areas with Chapultepec as the largest close to the center. Chapultepec is a must see place in the form of the anthropological museum.

Of the buildings, the city’s cathedral is among the most famous. It is located on the square Zócalo, which is a good starting point for city walks. From the time of the Aztecs lies the ruins of the magnificent Templo Mayor, and one can also walk in Moctezuma’s footsteps to the place where the emperor first met Spanish Hernán Cortés.

 

About the travel guide to Mexico City
Number of trips: 5 tours in the city + tours in the surrounding areas
Pages: 43
Published: 2019
Author: Stig Albeck
Publisher: Vamados.dk
Language: Danish
ISBN: 978-87-93329-71-3

 

About the travel guide The travel
guide to Mexico City gives you an overview of the sights and experiences of the Mexican city. Read about top sights and other sights, and buy a travel guide with tour suggestions and descriptions of all the city’s major churches, monuments, mansions, museums, etc.

 

Mexico City is waiting for you, and at vamados.com you can also find cheap flights and great deals on hotels for your trip. You just select your travel dates and then you get flight and accommodation suggestions in and around the city.

 

Read more about Mexico City and Mexico

 

Buy the travel guide
Click the “Put in cart” button to buy the travel guide. You will then be taken to the payment, where you enter the purchase and payment information. After completing the wizard payment, you will immediately receive a receipt with a link to download your purchase. You can download the wizard immediately or use the download link in the email later.

 

Use the travel guide
When you buy the travel guide to Mexico City, you get the book online so you can have it on your phone, tablet or computer – and of course you can choose to print it. Use the maps and tour suggestions and you will have a good and content-rich journey.

Other Attractions

Palacio Nacional, Mexico City

  • National Palace/Palacio Nacional: Along the entire east side of El Zócalo lies the Palacio Nacional, whose size is as impressive as the architectural details of the facade and interior halls. The National Palace was built as the Viceroy’s castle in New Spain, and today it is the seat of the Mexican government.
  • Gran Hotel: Gran Hotel is located on the western side of Zócalo, which since the Spanish conquest in 1521 has housed various commercial activities. The hotel building opened as a commercial center with one of the country’s first department stores in 1899.

Casa Azulejos, Mexico City

  • House of Tiles/Casa de los Azulejos: Casa de los Azulejos is one of the finest colonial buildings in Mexico City. It was constructed as a noble city palace by a count and his family from 1793. Today it is known for the beautiful tiles on the facade and in the courtyard, where there is a café.
  • Museum of Mexico City/Museo de la Ciudad de México: The Museum of Mexico City was founded in 1960. Its collection portrays the city’s history in a very interesting way from the Aztec era to the present day. Thus, a visit here makes a good introduction to the Mexican capital.

Alameda Central, Mexico City

  • Alameda Central: Alameda Central is Mexico City’s largest park in the historic city center. Previously, the place has been a marketplace during the Aztecs times. Today Alameda Central serves as a wonderful oasis for the city’s citizens. There are a number of famous buildings and sights around the square.
  • Diego Rivera Mural Museum/Museo Mural Diego Rivera: This is a nice museum that was built around one of the most famous mural of Mexican artist Diego Rivera, named Dream of a Sunday Afternoon in the Alameda Central/Sueño de una tarde dominical en la Alameda Central. the museum is in general a great place to see murals by Rivera.

Plaza de la Republica, Mexico City

  • Republic Square/Plaza de la República: According to Pofirio Diaz’s urban development plan, the large Republic Square was to be transformed into a splendid Parisian-style city space. Here, Mexico’s new parliament building should be located with an impressive size and architecture. The parliament was never built, and the plan was later changed to the great monument to the revolution, the Monumento a la Revolución, which can be seen here today.

Plaza Hidalgo, Mexico City

  • Hidalgo Square/Plaza Hidalgo: Plaza Hidalgo is the suburb town of Coyoacán’s central square,. At the square, the city and district administration have their seats. A trip to Coyoacán is despite the proximity with Mexico City center as a trip to the province of colonial Mexico. You can enjoy your stay at Plaza Hidalgo and also walk around the neighborhood streets.

Museo Frida Kahlo, Mexico City

  • Frida Kahlo Museum/Museo Frida Kahlo: Frida Kahlo was the artist Diego Rivera’s wife, and at the same time she is also very much recognized for her art. At this museum, also known as the Blue House/Casa Azul, Kahlo’s life and works are depicted. Kahlo herself was both born and died in this very house.

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