Ancient Mexico City

The capital of Mexico Mexico City is the oldest anddecorated with the frescos by Diego Rivera and
the highest situated city in the North America. It's alsoCathedral the oldest Catholic temple in Latin America. It
the one of the fastest developing city on the continent.also houses Templo Mayor an important museum with
With its population of about 24 millions, it is on the topthe reach collection of the displays.
of the list of the most populated cities o Earth.The favorite place of the tourists and citizens is
Mexico City is an open-air museum of the civilizationsChapultepec Park where the significant part of Mexico
history. It houses about 1400 monuments and historicalattractions is located National Anthropological Museum,
reliquiae. The city has 10 archeological zones, 80Modern Art Museum, Chapultepec Castle and the Zoo.
museums and a lot of art centers.The park can also boast the Botanical Garden with the
The city lies high in the mountains (approximately 2000world's largest collection of cactuses.
meters above the sea) and has very sunny, pleasantOne of the most famous monuments of Colonial
climate.period is Cathedral built in the honor of the saint patron
Mexico City is not only Mexico capital, it is consideredof the city Saint Virgin of Guadeloupe. Every 12th
to be the cultural capital of the whole Latin America. ItDecember is a holiday devoted to her. It attracts about
has numerous traces of the pre-colonial past,million pilgrims from America.
The history of the city began in the middle of the XIV40 kilometers from Mexico the most notorious and
century, when Aztecs founded a settlement calledmysterious Indian monuments are located Teotihuacan
Tenochtitlan. By the XVI century (the beginning of thewith the pyramids of the Sun and the Moon, a street
Spanish colonization) the population reached 200 000.of the Diseased and the temple of Quetzalcoatl. This
In 1521 after the long siege Tenochtitlan wasterritory occupies 23 sq. km, that makes it the largest
conquered by the Spanish (led by Fernando Cortez).archeological area of America.
Only three centuries later in 1821 - Mexico becameThese ancient ruins are in contrast with the cozy
independent once again.quarters of Zona Rosa or the beautiful new district of
In the heart of the city, on Zocalo square standsMexico City Colonia Polanco.
National Palace official governmental residence