The tale of Mexico City's founding is almost as interesting as the current city itself. The city has been controlled by a number of different rulers and nations. Not only is Mexico City the oldest city (founded in 1325) on the North American continent but also the highest, at 7,350 feet (NY Times). With estimated 25million inhabitants, it is also the most populous city in the western hemisphere. A lot of actions have strung themselves together, to get the second largest city in the world, in the state that it is in today.
There is an old tale that appears to be common knowledge amongst historians about how the nomadic Aztecs settled on what we would come to know today as Mexico City. On their search for the promise land they received prophecies saying that they would know the spot to settle when they encountered an eagle perched on a prickly pear cactus holding a snake in its beak (NY Times). In the year 1325 they came across just such an experience in the valley of Mexico and founded Tenochtitlán's, Mexico City's former name (Roots). The image of this eagle holding a snake is still emblazoned on the national flag of Mexico to this day. The Aztecs settled on what was then an island in a shallow lake and connected it to the mainland by a network of elaborate canals which can now be seen as roads.
As mentioned previously, control of this land has changed several times. In the early 16th century when Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés saw Tenochtitlán for the first time he, was amazed by the metropolis he had stumbled upon. His direct comparison of this city was to that of Venice, a glorious city in its own right(NY Times) Hernán Cortés had a vision for his new city, however, that was far cry from the canal laden peaceful city Tenochtitlán once was.
In 1521 his forces occupied and leveled the great Aztec metropolis, building their own capital on the ruins. The surrounding lake was subsequently filled in to expand and rebuild the area into something... [continues]
There is an old tale that appears to be common knowledge amongst historians about how the nomadic Aztecs settled on what we would come to know today as Mexico City. On their search for the promise land they received prophecies saying that they would know the spot to settle when they encountered an eagle perched on a prickly pear cactus holding a snake in its beak (NY Times). In the year 1325 they came across just such an experience in the valley of Mexico and founded Tenochtitlán's, Mexico City's former name (Roots). The image of this eagle holding a snake is still emblazoned on the national flag of Mexico to this day. The Aztecs settled on what was then an island in a shallow lake and connected it to the mainland by a network of elaborate canals which can now be seen as roads.
As mentioned previously, control of this land has changed several times. In the early 16th century when Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés saw Tenochtitlán for the first time he, was amazed by the metropolis he had stumbled upon. His direct comparison of this city was to that of Venice, a glorious city in its own right(NY Times) Hernán Cortés had a vision for his new city, however, that was far cry from the canal laden peaceful city Tenochtitlán once was.
In 1521 his forces occupied and leveled the great Aztec metropolis, building their own capital on the ruins. The surrounding lake was subsequently filled in to expand and rebuild the area into something... [continues]
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