Mexico City history

Mexico City has a troubled history – restless politically and under constant threat from the forces of nature. Parts of the old city are sinking into the soft clay of the lakebed of Lake Texcoco, and frequent earthquakes have taken their toll.

Mexico City was founded in 1525 by the Spanish Conquistadors, who after defeating the Aztecs built their new city on the ruins of Tenochtitlán. The Aztecs had arrived in 1345 and established their stone-built city on an island in the middle of Lake Texcoco.

The location proved excellent defensively and until the arrival of the Spanish the Aztecs dominated the region with legendary ruthlessness – blood sacrifice and ritual being a common appeasement to their angry gods. The Aztecs believed themselves descendants of an even older civilisation at Tula and it was their belief in the fulfilment of an ancient prophecy that brought them to defeat at the hands of the Spanish.

Moctezuma, the Aztec king, believed Cortés to be the feathered serpent-god, Quetzalcóatl, once driven out to Tula, returned to reclaim his throne. The Conquistadors overthrew the Aztec Empire with ease and Tenochtitlán was forgotten until the 1970s when workmen uncovered the remains of the Templo Mayor.

The 20th century brought with it revolution and saw the start of 71 years of one-party rule under the PRI (Institutional Revolutionary Party) that ended with elections in 2000. As home to the entire federal government, Mexico City is now at the forefront of this change.