1325-2O25 - 7 Centuries Old ©
Altépetl i México - Ciudad de México - CDMX
Mexico City turns 7OO
EXPLORE Forgotten Pasts & DISCOVER Vibrant Futures
Mexico7OO.com
by mexunitours.com
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Mexico City is the oldest capital city in the Americas, and was founded by Indigenous people.
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The city was originally built on a group of islands in Lake Texcoco by the Mexica around 1325, under the names of the islands, Mexico-Tenochtitlan and Mexico-Tlatelolco.
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It served as the 'controlling city-state' (capital) of the Mexica Empire for almost two centuries.
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It is the focal point of meeting of the two main human migrations out of Africa, the Asian-American and the Euro-African.
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It is the place where humankind completed its surrounding of Planet Earth.
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It was almost completely destroyed in the 1521 siege by Cortés and his followers, and subsequently leveled, redesigned, and rebuilt in accordance with the Spanish urban standards.
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In 1524, the municipality of Mexico City was established, known as México-Tenochtitlan (only on the main island), and as of 1585, it was officially known as Ciudad de México (Mexico City), (both islands).
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Mexico City played a major role in the Spanish Empire at its crossroads; a political, administrative, and financial center which took over the Silk Road and turned into a world trade center.
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Following independence from Spain, Mexico City was established as the Federal District of the United Mexican States, in 1824.
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The city's name has been used as a nickname for the country whose official name is the United Mexican States, and remains the official name of the country to date.
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It has been the capital of: 1. The Mexica Empire, 2. The Viceroyalty of Mexico (Economic Capital) of the Spanish Empire, and, 3. The United Mexican States (Independent Mexico).
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For most of its seven centuries, the city has remained one of the largest in the world.
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In 1987, the United Nations, through UNESCO, named its Historic Center and Xochimilco boroughs as World Heritage Sites.
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Today, the city encompasses six World Heritage Sites, as no other city in the world.
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After years of demanding greater political autonomy, residents were finally given the right to elect both a head of government and the representatives of the unicameral Legislative Assembly by election in 1997.
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Left-wing parties have since controlled both the executive and legislative branches.
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The city has several progressive policies, such as elective abortions, a limited form of euthanasia, no-fault divorce, same-sex marriage, and legal gender change.
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On January 29, 2016, it ceased to be the Federal District (Spanish: Distrito Federal or D.F.) and is now officially known as Ciudad de México (or by its abbreviation CDMX), with a greater degree of autonomy.
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A clause in the Constitution of the United Mexican States, however, prevents it from becoming a state within the Mexican federation, as long as it remains the capital of the country.
Mexico City was traditionally known as La Ciudad de los Palacios ("the City of the Palaces"), a nickname attributed to Baron Alexander von Humboldt when visiting the city in the 19th century, who, sending a letter back to Germany, said Mexico City could rival any major city in Europe. But it was English politician Charles Latrobe who really penned the following: "... look at their works: the moles, aqueducts, churches, roads—and the luxurious City of Palaces which has risen from the clay-built ruins of Tenochtitlan...", on page 84 of the Letter V of The Rambler in Mexico.
During the Spanish viceregal period, the city's motto was "Muy Noble e Insigne, Muy Leal e Imperial" (Very Noble and Distinguished, Very Loyal and Imperial).
