Ancient Mexico City
By Ann Corba
The capital of Mexico – Mexico City is the oldest and the highest situated city in the North America. It’s also the one of the fastest developing city on the continent. With its population of about 24 millions, it is on the top of the list of the most populated cities o Earth.
Mexico City is an open-air museum of the civilizations history. It houses about 1400 monuments and historical reliquiae. The city has 10 archeological zones, 80 museums and a lot of art centers.
The city lies high in the mountains (approximately 2000 meters above the sea) and has very sunny, pleasant climate.
Mexico City is not only Mexico capital, it is considered to be the cultural capital of the whole Latin America. It has numerous traces of the pre-colonial past,
The history of the city began in the middle of the XIV century, when Aztecs founded a settlement called Tenochtitlan. By the XVI century (the beginning of the Spanish colonization) the population reached 200 000. In 1521 after the long siege Tenochtitlan was conquered by the Spanish (led by Fernando Cortez). Only three centuries later – in 1821 - Mexico became independent once again.
In the heart of the city, on Zocalo square stands National Palace – official governmental residence decorated with the frescos by Diego Rivera and Cathedral – the oldest Catholic temple in Latin America. It also houses Templo Mayor – an important museum with the reach collection of the displays.
The favorite place of the tourists and citizens is Chapultepec Park – where the significant

part of Mexico attractions is located – National Anthropological Museum, Modern Art Museum, Chapultepec Castle and the Zoo. The park can also boast the Botanical Garden with the world’s largest collection of cactuses.
One of the most famous monuments of Colonial period is Cathedral built in the honor of the saint patron of the city – Saint Virgin of Guadeloupe. Every 12th December is a holiday devoted to her. It attracts about million pilgrims from America.
40 kilometers from Mexico the most notorious and mysterious Indian monuments are located – Teotihuacan with the pyramids of the Sun and the Moon, a street of the Diseased and the temple of Quetzalcoatl. This territory occupies 23 sq. km, that makes it the largest archeological area of America.
These ancient ruins are in contrast with the cozy quarters of Zona Rosa or the beautiful new district of Mexico City – Colonia Polanco.

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