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82-477: Domingo Francisco de San Antón Muñón Chimalpahin Quauhtlehuanitzin (1579, Amecameca , Chalco —1660, Mexico City ), usually referred to simply as Chimalpahin or Chimalpain , was a Nahua annalist from Chalco . His Nahuatl names ( Nahuatl pronunciation: [tʃiːmaɬˈpaː.in kʷaːʍtɬeːwaˈnitsin] ) mean "Runs Swiftly with a Shield" and "Rising Eagle", respectively, and he claimed descent from

164-452: A temāzcalli , similar to a sauna bath, which is still used in the south of Mexico. This was also popular in other Mesoamerican cultures. When we saw so many cities and villages built in the water and other great towns on dry land we were amazed and said that it was like the enchantments (...) on account of the great towers and cues and buildings rising from the water, and all built of masonry. And some of our soldiers even asked whether

246-453: A Christmas market, selling about 30,000 trees per year and employing 50 permanent and 250 seasonal workers. The money earned from the enterprise helps to preserve more wild areas of the mountains here. This work has earned a Premio Nacional de Ecología (National Ecology Prize). The only problem the forest experiences is that the enterprise is so popular that the roads leading to the area are jammed with traffic. Lesser-known attractions include

328-577: A number of business and cultural enterprises such as the first polytechnic school and a press which printed both religious and cultural articles. Until the Mexican Revolution , most of the arable land in the area was owned by large haciendas such as the Tomacoco, Coapexco and Panohaya. In 1910, Francisco I. Madero was in Amecameca. From a railroad car, he gave a speech against Porfirio Díaz . From 1911 on,

410-441: A population of 212,500 living on 13.5 km (5.2 sq mi). It is also said that at one time, Moctezuma had rule over an empire of almost five million people in central and southern Mexico because he had extended his rule to surrounding territories to gain tribute and prisoners to sacrifice to the gods. When Cortés and his men invaded Tenochtitlan , Moctezuma II chose to welcome Cortés as an ambassador rather than risk

492-405: A third of the workforce. The main ones are Los Molinos de la Covadonga, La Harinera Amecameca, Hilos Cadena, which produced milled products and thread. In addition, there are small workshops which produce saddles , ironwork and machine pieces. Most commerce occurs in the municipal seat, mostly with the sale of staple foods and other basic necessities. Market days are Monday, Wednesday and Sunday when

574-554: A tradition for many families in the Mexico City area. It is a business that was conceived forty years ago as a way to help preserve the forest here as well as benefit economically. Visitors come to spend a day in the area and can cut trees only from designated locations. Picnicking is permitted with the requirement that no garbage is left behind. The Christmas tree area covers 300 acres (120 hectares), and cut trees are left to regrow instead of being killed. The park also hosts food stalls and

656-511: A war which might quickly be joined by aggrieved indigenous people. As Cortés approached Tenochtitlan , the Tenochcah celebrated Toxcatl . At this event the most prominent warriors of each altepetl would dance in front of a huge statue of Huitzilopochtli . The Spanish leader, Pedro de Alvarado , who was left in charge, worried that the natives planned a surprise attack. He captured three natives and tortured them until they said that this

738-558: Is 4 meters (13 ft 1 in) in diameter and weighs over 18.1 metric tons (20 short tons; 17.9 long tons). It was once located half-way up the great pyramid. This sculpture was carved around 1470 under the rule of King Axayacatl , the predecessor of Tizoc , and is said to tell the history of the Mexicas and to prophesy the future. In August 1987, archaeologists discovered a mix of 1,789 human bones five meters (16 ft 5 in) below street level in Mexico City. The burial dates back to

820-420: Is a natural area with dirt and stone paths. It contains a variety of pine trees and medicinal plants and is home to white tailed deer, foxes and other wildlife. Activities available here are hiking, mountain biking, camping and other nature sports. The Agua Viva (Living Water) monastery is a Dominican institution located at the foothills of Iztaccíhuatl. There are still monks here that offer mass. The Cortés Pass

902-402: Is a popular resort destination for visitors from Mexico City, Puebla and Morelos , owing to its mountain scenery, food scene, and other attractions. However, when Popocatépetl is active, tourism here drops dramatically. The area receives many visitors during the annual Carnival/Festival del Señor del Sacromonte, which extends over the week containing Ash Wednesday and is considered to be one of

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984-494: Is corn along with other grains such as alfalfa , wheat and oats. There are a significant number of orchards here producing walnuts, pears, apples, capulins and other fruit. The municipality is the major producer of walnuts in Mexico. Livestock raised here includes pigs, cattle, sheep and domestic fowl. One important agricultural activity there is the production and conservation of traditional varieties of corn. Like other communities in

1066-773: Is located 30 minutes from the town, which is a space between the two volcanoes and from where Cortés had his first view of the Valley of Mexico . According to the Internet Movie Data Base (IMDB) there were seven movies shot in this area. The movies were 7th Cavalry (1956), Deep Crimson (1996), El libro de piedra (1969), Las vueltas del citrillo (2006), Hermanos de sangre (1974), Secuestro salvaje (1994), Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz entre el cielo y la razón(1996 ) 19°07′N 98°46′W  /  19.117°N 98.767°W  / 19.117; -98.767 Tenochtitlan Tenochtitlan , also known as Mexico-Tenochtitlan ,

1148-573: Is the Relaciones or Anales . This Nahuatl work was compiled in the early seventeenth century, and is based on testimony from indigenous people . It covers the years 1589 through 1615, but also deals with events before the conquest and supplies lists of indigenous kings and lords and Spanish viceroys, archbishops of Mexico and inquisitors. Chimalpahin recorded the 1610 and 1614 visits of Japanese delegations to Mexico, led by Tanaka Shōsuke and Hasekura Tsunenaga , respectively. He recorded brawls between

1230-643: The pochteca were merchants who traveled all of Mesoamerica trading. The membership of this class was based on heredity. Pochteca could become very rich because they did not pay taxes, but they had to sponsor the ritual feast of Xocotl Huetzi from the wealth that they obtained from their trade expeditions. Status was displayed by the location and type of house where a person lived. Ordinary people lived in houses made of reeds plastered with mud and roofed with thatch. People who were better off had houses of adobe brick with flat roofs. The wealthy had houses of stone masonry with flat roofs. They most likely made up

1312-459: The traza . Although many native residents died during the siege of Tenochtitlan, the indigenous still had a strong presence in the city, and were settled in two main areas of the island, designated San Juan Tenochtitlan and Santiago Tlatelolco, each with a municipal council that functioned the entire colonial period. San Juan Tenochtitlan was a Spanish administrative creation, which amalgamated four indigenous sections, with each losing territory to

1394-511: The tzompantli or rack of skulls; the Sun Temple, which was dedicated to Tonatiuh ; the Eagle's House, which was associated with warriors and the ancient power of rulers; the platforms for the gladiatorial sacrifice; and some minor temples. Outside was the palace of Moctezuma with 100 rooms, each with its own bath, for the lords and ambassadors of allies and conquered people. Also located nearby

1476-465: The Cortés Pass . The park was created as a way to manage and preserve the natural resources of the area. It is a recreational area for sports such as hiking and also contains the second largest labyrinth of its type in the world created with over 38,000 cedar trees over an extension of 10,000m2. There is also a "zoo" of sculpted plants made to form animals using plants native to the area. The Temazcal Park

1558-631: The Piedra del Conejo ("Rabbit Stone") or Monumental solsticial de Tomacoco ("Solstice monument of Tomacoco"). One of the major attractions is the Panoaya Hacienda. The main hacienda building houses the Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz Museum; it is featured in the reverse of the $ 200 pesos Mexican note. Sor Juana come to live at Panoaya in 1651 when she was three years old to live with her mother and grandfather. She learned to read and write and stayed until she

1640-474: The 1540s to the end of the century, there was much civil strife among the native population. Some indigenous rule was restored but it would end for good by the 17th century. The raising of European foodstuffs such as wheat and sheep began early with commercial agriculture becoming the basis of the economy by 1550. The area also became an important pass linking Mexico City with points east with many travelers and merchants passing through. By 1599, Amecameca has become

1722-573: The Amaqueme Mountain (Sacromonte), and in 1527 construction of the Franciscan monastery began. The cult to the Santo Entierro (Holy Burial) or Señor del Sacromonte was begun to replace an earlier pagan cult at this site. The La Asuncion Church was begun in 1547, along with a number of other places of worship. Construction was finished in 1564. The tower was not built until the mid-17th century. From

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1804-701: The Eco Parque San Pedro, the Temazcal Park and the Agua Viva monastery. The Eco Parque San Pedro (San Pedro Ecological Park) is located between the Amecameca and Nexpayantla rivers just outside the municipal seat in the community of San Pedro Nexapa. It stands at 2870 meters above sea level, very close to the Puebla state line and has a cold, wet climate. The park is between the Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhuatl volcanos near

1886-561: The Japanese and Spaniards, in one of which the Spanish ambassador Sebastián Vizcaíno was severely wounded in Acapulco in the year 1614. He also wrote Diferentes historias originales (also known as Relaciones originales ), a compilation of claims and proofs of nobility asserted by indigenous leaders of Chalco-Amequemecan. It was written to serve as a judicial guide for the viceregal authorities for

1968-489: The Mexica capital. Tenochtitlan was one of two Mexica āltepētl ( city-states or polities ) on the island, the other being Tlatelolco . Traditionally, the name Tenochtitlan was thought to come from Nahuatl tetl [ˈtetɬ] ("rock") and nōchtli [ˈnoːtʃtɬi] (" prickly pear ") and is often thought to mean, "Among the prickly pears [growing among] rocks." However, one attestation in

2050-482: The Popocatépetl volcano, killing seventeen people in the municipality. In the 1950s, much of the city was renovated including the main plaza, market and Hidalgo Street. The road to the Sanctuary of Sacromonte was improved and stairs added to climb the hill. Since then, the town of Amecameca has grown into a small city. However, there is not enough employment here and many commute to Mexico City to work. The state proclaimed

2132-581: The Spaniards were seeking gold, Moctezuma expressed that he had very little of the sort, but all of it was to be given to Cortés if he desired it. Soon after arriving in Tenochtitlan , Cortés came up against problems. At Vera Cruz , the officer left in charge received a letter from Qualpopoca , the leader of Nueva Almería , asking to become a vassal of the Spaniards. He requested that officials be sent to him so that he could confirm his submission. To reach

2214-436: The Spanish traza . The Spanish laid out the streets of the traza in a checker board pattern, with straight streets and plazas at intervals, whereas the indigenous portions of the city were irregular in layout and built of modest materials. In the colonial period both San Juan Tenochtitlan and Santiago Tlatelolco retained jurisdiction over settlements on the mainland that they could draw on for labor and tribute demanded by

2296-455: The Spanish capital of Mexico City on the ruins of Tenochtitlan. Despite the extensive damage to the built environment, the site retained symbolic power and legitimacy as the capital of the Aztec empire, which Cortés sought to appropriate. For a time this ciudad de españoles , the highest rank in the Spanish hierarchy of settlement designation, was called Mexico–Tenochtitlan. Charles Gibson devotes

2378-556: The Spanish, but increasingly those subordinate settlements ( sujetos ) were able to gain their autonomy with their own rulers and separate relationship with the Spanish rulers. Concern about the health of the indigenous population in early post-conquest Mexico–Tenochtitlan led to the founding of a royal hospital for indigenous residents. There are a number of colonial-era pictorial manuscripts dealing with Tenochtitlan–Tlatelolco, which shed light on litigation between Spaniards and indigenous over property. An account with information about

2460-628: The animals. There was also a botanical garden and an aquarium . The aquarium had ten ponds of salt water and ten ponds of fresh water, containing various fish and aquatic birds. Places like this also existed in Texcoco , Chapultepec , Huaxtepec (now called Oaxtepec ), and Texcotzingo . Tenochtitlan can be considered the most complex society in Mesoamerica in regard to social stratification. The complex system involved many social classes . The macehualtin were commoners who lived outside

2542-407: The area, there are three main varieties of corn planted where as well as a number of minor varieties. These are planted mostly as a trial or because of their special characteristics, not to compete with the three main varieties. In local markets, these farmers are able to sell these local varieties as well as exchange seed to maintain genetic variety. There is some industry there, which employs about

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2624-617: The city were woodcuts published in Augsburg around 1522. Each calpulli had its own tiyanquiztli (marketplace), but there was also a main marketplace in Tlatelolco – Tenochtitlan 's sister city. Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés estimated it was twice the size of the city of Salamanca with about 60,000 people trading daily. Bernardino de Sahagún provides a more conservative population estimate of 20,000 on ordinary days and 40,000 on feast days. There were also specialized markets in

2706-476: The city. The city was interlaced with a series of canals , so that all sections of the city could be visited either on foot or via canoe . Lake Texcoco was the largest of five interconnected lakes. Since it formed in an endorheic basin , Lake Texcoco was brackish . During the reign of Moctezuma I , the " levee of Nezahualcoyotl " was constructed, reputedly designed by Nezahualcoyotl . Estimated to be 12 to 16 km (7.5 to 9.9 mi) in length,

2788-480: The city; and began its rebuilding, despite opposition. The reconstruction involved the creation of a central area designated for Spanish use (the traza ). The outer Indian section, now dubbed San Juan Tenochtitlan , continued to be governed by the previous indigenous elite and was divided into the same subdivisions as before. The people of Tenochtitlan were soon exposed to diseases to which they had no immunity. Symptoms were often delayed for up to ten days, when

2870-465: The compositions of the soils here as well as the source of most of the municipality's fresh water. The average altitude in these mountains is 4,000 meters above sea level with the highest elevations at the Iztaccíhuatl and Popocatépetl volcanos. Although near the active volcano, Amecameca is considered to be at a lower risk than other communities in the area because of the shape of Popocatépetl's cone and

2952-475: The early 20th century, but major excavations did not take place until 1978–1982, after utility workers came across a massive stone disc depicting the nude dismembered body of the moon goddess Coyolxauhqui . The disc is 3.25 meters (10 ft 8 in) in diameter, and is held at the Templo Mayor Museum. The ruins, constructed over seven periods, were built on top of each other. The resulting weight of

3034-544: The end of the 19th century, about 85% of the population spoke Nahuatl , but today less than 200 speakers remain. The municipality is situated on the foothills of the Sierra Nevada between the Iztaccíhuatl and Popocatépetl and in the Moctezuma-Panuco River. The Sierra Nevada is the most important geographical feature of the region and forms the eastern border of the municipality. These volcanoes are responsible for

3116-515: The fall of Tenochtitlan, the capital of the Aztec empire, and consequently brought an end to the Aztec empire Tenochtitlan's main temple complex, the Templo Mayor , was dismantled and the central district of the Spanish colonial city was constructed on top of it. The great temple was destroyed by the Spanish during the construction of a cathedral. The location of the Templo Mayor was rediscovered in

3198-399: The federal agency. As municipal seat, the town of Amecameca is the local governing authority for more than 130 other named communities, which over an area of 181.72km2. The municipality borders the municipalities of Tlalmanalco, Atlautla, Ozumba, Ayapango and Juchitepec with the state of Puebla to the east. 181.72km2. About 65% of the municipality's population lives in the town proper. At

3280-402: The final chapter of his classic work, The Aztecs Under Spanish Rule , to what he called "The City", with later historians building on his work. The Spaniards established a cabildo or town council, which had jurisdiction over the Spanish residents. The Spanish established a Europeans-only zone in the center of the city, an area of 13 blocks in each direction of the central plaza, which was

3362-467: The grandest ever in Mesoamerica. Hernan Cortés arrived in Tenochtitlan on 8 November 1519. Although there are not precise numbers, the city's population has been estimated at between 200,000 and 400,000 inhabitants, placing Tenochtitlan among the largest cities in the world at that time. Compared to the cities of Europe, only Paris , Venice and Constantinople might have rivaled it. It was five times

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3444-436: The granting of privileges and offices to members of the indigenous nobility. There are eight of these relaciones . All contain ethnographic, social and chronologic information of great value to historians. His manuscripts came into the possession of Carlos de Sigüenza y Góngora . For an account of what happened to these documents after the death of Sigüenza, see Lorenzo Boturini Benaducci . Amecameca Amecameca area

3526-525: The head of a district with thirteen dependencies with an area of about 128km2. A major earthquake occurred here in 1704 which destroyed many houses as well as the roof of the La Asuncion Church. It was repaired from 1712 to 1719. The area remained a farming area, mostly with family plots through the rest of the colonial period. During the Mexican War of Independence, there was restlessness here among

3608-430: The highest elevations near the tree line, only one species of pine is found, Pinus hartwagii . Above the tree line are alpine meadows. Small mammals, especially rabbits are common here as a number of reptiles and a variety of birds. The area used to have larger species such as white-tailed deer but these have been hunted to extinction. Most of the municipality now is dedicated to agriculture and livestock. The main crop

3690-550: The house complexes that were arranged around the inner court. The higher officials in Tenochtitlan lived in the great palace complexes that made up the city. Adding even more complexity to Aztec social stratification was the calpōlli . Calpōlli is a group of families related by either kinship or proximity. These groups consist of both elite members of Aztec society and commoners. Elites provided commoners with arable land and nonagricultural occupations, and commoners performed services for chiefs and gave tribute. Tenochtitlan

3772-462: The house of water”. Most of the other streams and springs of the municipality are fed by the Sierra Nevada mountains. The climate is temperate and somewhat wet (cb(w2)) with most rains coming between May and October. Temperatures generally vary between 2 °C and 24 °C although temperatures of -8C and 34C are not uncommon. This area, especially in the rainy season, has an abundance of wild edible plants, especially mushrooms. Undeveloped areas in

3854-522: The houses here were well built with about 20,000 inhabitants. In 1521, the leaders here were Quetzalmazatzin and his brother Tecuanxayacatzin due to the help they gave Cortés in conquering Tenochtitlan . Soon thereafter, they were poisoned. After the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire , Franciscans were in charge of evangelizing the area. In 1525, Martín de Valencia set fire to the local priests' houses on

3936-409: The infection would spread throughout the body, causing sores, pain, and high fever. People were weak to the point that they could not move, nor obtain food and water. Burial of the dead became difficult to impossible, due to the pervasiveness of the people's illness. The people of Tenochtitlan began to starve and weaken. The death toll rose steadily over the course of the next 60 days. Cortés founded

4018-451: The island city of Tenochtitlan. The pipiltin were noblemen who were relatives of leaders and former leaders, and lived in the confines of the island. Cuauhipiltin , or eagle nobles, were commoners who impressed the nobles with their martial prowess, and were treated as nobles. Teteuctin were the highest class, rulers of various parts of the empire, including the king. Tlacohtin were slaves or indentured servants . Finally,

4100-417: The large ravines that are found in this area. The latter offers protection against lava flows and runoff from melting snow. However, the area remains part of the evacuation zone in the event of a major eruption. There is a lookout station on Sacromonte hill which is used by civil defense when the volcano is more active. The area has an eruption warning system of three colors—red, yellow and green—which depend on

4182-562: The late 16th-century manuscript known as "the Bancroft dialogues" suggest the second vowel was short, so that the true etymology remains uncertain. However, it is also thought that the city was named after Tenoch . Tenochtitlan covered an estimated 8 to 13.5 km (3.1 to 5.2 sq mi), situated on the western side of the shallow Lake Texcoco . At the time of Spanish conquests, Mexico City comprised both Tenochtitlan and Tlatelolco . The city extended from north to south, from

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4264-444: The levee was completed c.  1453 . The levee kept fresh spring -fed water in the waters around Tenochtitlan and kept the brackish waters beyond the dike, to the east. Two double aqueducts , each more than 4 km (2.5 mi) long and made of terracotta , provided the city with fresh water from the springs at Chapultepec . This was intended mainly for cleaning and washing. For drinking, water from mountain springs

4346-501: The lords of Tenango- Amecameca - Chalco . He was the grandson of the late Don Domingo Hernández Ayopochtzin, a seventh-generation descendant of the founding king of the polity. Don Domingo was learned and esteemed, especially for his education and his record-keeping skills in the ancient tradition. He wrote on the history of Mexico and other neighboring nations in the Nahuatl and Spanish languages . The most important of his surviving works

4428-467: The lower mountains areas are mostly covered by forests of pine, oak and cypress, with trees reaching over 30 meters in height. However, deforestation is an issue both for the loss of trees and the remaining forests’ ability to resist fires and plagues, with about twenty percent of forested area lost in last decades of the 20th century. Grazing cattle often inhibits reforestation. Higher up, the forests are dominated by fir trees with some pines and cedars. At

4510-448: The military revolt against the Diaz government was mostly carried out here by Zapatistas , which gained recruits from Amecameca and by 1917, the area was a Zapatista stronghold. The area was important to rebels as it provided materials such as paper, wood, alcohol, charcoal and foodstuffs. After the war, agricultural lands here were redistributed in 1925. In 1919, there was a major eruption of

4592-764: The most important festivals in Mexico State. The name Amecameca comes from Nahuatl . It has been interpreted to mean “place where the papers signal or mark,” or “paper used ceremoniously.” Settled human habitation in this area began early mostly in dispersed small villages. The Chichimeca tribe called the Totolimpanecas arrived around 1268 and populated the areas now known as Itztlacozauhcan, Tlayllotlacan Amaquemecan. Later arrivals occupied areas known as Tzacualtitlan Tenanco Amaquemecan and Atlauhtlan Tzacualtitlan Amaquemecan. These groups had their own small dominions. In 1336, another dominion called Tlaylloltlacan Teohuacan

4674-455: The north border of Tlatelolco to the swamps , which by that time were gradually disappearing to the west; the city ended more or less at the present location of Avenida Bucareli . The city was connected to the mainland by bridges and causeways leading to the north, south, and west. The causeways were interrupted by bridges that allowed canoes and other water traffic to pass freely. The bridges could be pulled away, if necessary, to protect

4756-499: The other central Mexican cities. In the center of the city were the public buildings, temples, and palaces. Inside a walled square, 500 meters (1,600 ft) to a side, was the ceremonial center. There were about 45 public buildings, including: the Templo Mayor , which was dedicated to the Aztec patron deity Huitzilopochtli and the Rain God Tlaloc ; the temple of Quetzalcoatl ; the tlachtli ( ball game court) with

4838-490: The population, but no major incidents. In 1812, a number of natives from here fought in the war under Leonardo Bravo in other places. The municipality was mostly likely founded in 1824 along with the founding of Mexico State. U.S. troops passed through here during the Mexican–American War . In 1833, Amecameca was part of the state of Mexico in the eastern prefecture. In 1861, the settlement gained official town status from

4920-399: The province, the officers would have to travel through hostile land. The officer in charge of Vera Cruz decided to send four officers to meet with Qualpopoca. When they arrived, they were captured and two were killed, the other two escaping through the woods. Upon their return to Vera Cruz, the officer in charge was infuriated, and led troops to storm Almería. Here they learned that Moctezuma

5002-453: The rest of the hacienda land is leased to a recreational park which is best known for its petting zoo which contains tame deer. Another major attraction is the Bosque de los Arboles de Navidad (Christmas Tree Forest), one of the few places in Mexico where one can go and cut their own tree. The Bosque plants trees such as the "vikingo mexiquense" and the "vikingo canadiense" coming here has become

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5084-529: The size of the London of Henry VIII . In a letter to the Spanish king, Cortés wrote that Tenochtitlan was as large as Seville or Córdoba . Cortés' men were in awe at the sight of the splendid city and many wondered if they were dreaming. Although some popular sources put the number as high as 350,000 the most common estimates of the population are of over 200,000 people. One of the few comprehensive academic surveys of Mesoamerican city and town sizes arrived at

5166-405: The state due to its historical and economic importance. The municipal palace was built in 1899. In the last 19th and early 20th century, Amecameca was the scene of several industrialization projects including a beer brewery, wheat mills and workshops producing saddles and metal objects. There was some minting of copper, silver and gold as well. In 1871, Father Fortino Hipolito Vera y Talona founded

5248-545: The status of Popocatepetl. Green means that the volcano is quiet, yellow that there is activity and caution is advised and red indicates a current or imminent eruption. When the status turns to yellow, tourism to the area plummets to about half normal. Fully within the municipality, the most important elevation is the Sacromonte. The main river there is the Alcalican, which forms from the snowmelt of Iztaccihualt. Its name means “in

5330-447: The structures caused them to sink into the sediment of Lake Texcoco; the ruins now rest at an angle instead of horizontally. Mexico City's Zócalo , the Plaza de la Constitución , is located at the site of Tenochtitlan's original central plaza and market, and many of the original calzadas still correspond to modern city streets. The Aztec calendar stone was located in the ruins. This stone

5412-418: The things that we saw were not a dream? (...) I do not know how to describe it, seeing things as we did that had never been heard of or seen before, not even dreamed about. The city was divided into four zones, or camps ; each camp was divided into 20 districts ( calpullis , Nahuatl languages : calpōlli , pronounced [kaɬˈpoːlːi] , meaning "large house"); and each calpulli , or 'big house',

5494-422: The town a cultural heritage of Mexico State in 1980 and was designated the "Capital del Alpinismo Nacional" in 1992.(Capital of Mexican Alpinism). In the 2000s, Grupo Walmart in Mexico began to construct a supermarket (Bodega Aurrerá) in the old section of Amecameca but INAH suspended construction. The reason for the suspension was that it would cover nearly a city block and damage older buildings protected by

5576-407: The town is covered in portable stalls in a tradition called the tianguis . In addition, there are several hotels and other businesses that cater to tourists. This sector of the economy employ about 45% of the municipality's population. Outside of the town proper, there are a number of other tourist attractions in the municipality. There is one registered archeological site in the municipality called

5658-479: The war of Tenochtitlan against its neighbor Tlatelolco in 1473 and the Spanish conquest in 1521 is the Anales de Mexico y Tlatelolco, 1473, 1521–22 . Anthropologist Susan Kellogg has studied colonial-era inheritance patterns of Nahuas in Mexico City, using Nahuatl - and Spanish-language testaments. On the 13th of August 1521, after over two months of fighting,Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés succeeded in bringing about

5740-570: Was captured by the Tlaxcaltec and the Spanish in 1521 . At its peak, it was the largest city in the pre-Columbian Americas . It subsequently became a cabecera of the Viceroyalty of New Spain . Today, the ruins of Tenochtitlan are in the historic center of the Mexican capital. The World Heritage Site of Xochimilco contains what remains of the geography (water, boats, floating gardens ) of

5822-416: Was a large Mexican altepetl in what is now the historic center of Mexico City . The exact date of the founding of the city is unclear, but the date 13 March 1325 was chosen in 1925 to celebrate the 600th anniversary of the city. The city was built on an island in what was then Lake Texcoco in the Valley of Mexico . The city was the capital of the expanding Aztec Empire in the 15th century until it

5904-564: Was crossed by streets or tlaxilcalli . There were three main streets that crossed the city, each leading to one of the three causeways to the mainland of Tepeyac , Iztapalapa , and Tlacopan . Bernal Díaz del Castillo reported that they were wide enough for ten horses. Surrounding the raised causeways were artificial floating gardens with canal waterways and gardens of plants, shrubs, and trees. The calpullis were divided by channels used for transportation, with wood bridges that were removed at night. The earliest European images of

5986-635: Was formed. All these communities were collectively known as the Amaquemecans. Religious practices in this area were mostly performed in urban temples and shrines located on mountaintops and caves. In 1465, the Aztecs conquered this area, along with the rest of the Valley of Chalco, replacing local leaders with military governors and transforming the area into a tributary province with neighboring Tlalmanalco as capital. Hernán Cortés arrived here in 1519 and noted that

6068-451: Was greeted by the ruler and his lords, but forbidden to touch him. Cortés gave him a necklace of crystals, placing it over his neck. They were then brought to a large house that would serve as their home for their stay in the city. Once they were settled, Moctezuma himself sat down and spoke with Cortés. The great ruler declared that anything that they needed would be theirs to have. He was thrilled to have visitors of such stature. Although

6150-450: Was indeed planned to happen. During the festival, the Spaniards came heavily armed and closed off every exit from the courtyard so that no one would escape. This happened during their last days in Tenochtitlan. Nobles lined each side of the city's main causeway, which extended about a league (4.83 km). Walking down the center came Moctezuma II, with two lords at his side, one his brother, the ruler of Iztapalapa . Cortés dismounted and

6232-625: Was perpetually enlarged as Tenochtitlan grew to become the largest and most powerful city in Mesoamerica . Commercial routes were developed that brought goods from places as far as the Gulf of Mexico , the Pacific Ocean and perhaps even the Inca Empire . After a flood of Lake Texcoco , the city was rebuilt during the rule of Ahuitzotl , which was between 1486 and 1502, in a style that made it one of

6314-428: Was preferred. Most of the population liked to bathe twice a day; Moctezuma was said to take four baths a day. According to the context of Aztec culture in literature, the soap that they most likely used was the root of a plant called copalxocotl ( Saponaria americana ), and to clean their clothes they used the root of metl ( Agave americana ). Also, the upper classes and pregnant women washed themselves in

6396-535: Was sent to live in Mexico City in 1663. The hacienda lay in ruins for the last century or so until it was rehabilitated in 1999 at a cost of more than 10 million pesos. A building next to this one is the International Museum of Volcanos which exhibits of Mexico two most famous volcanoes and others in the world. The hacienda's main building now serves as the Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz Museum, run by INAH. Much of

6478-421: Was supposedly the one who ordered the officers executed. Back in Tenochtitlan , Cortés detained Moctezuma and questioned him. Though no serious conclusions were reached, this negatively affected the relationship between Moctezuma and the Spaniards. Cortés subsequently besieged Tenochtitlan for over 90 days, causing a famine. Having gained control, he then directed the systematic destruction and leveling of

6560-403: Was the cuicalli , or house of the songs, and the calmecac . The city had great symmetry. All constructions had to be approved by the calmimilocatl , a functionary in charge of the city planning. The palace of Moctezuma II also had two houses or zoos , one for birds of prey and another for other birds , reptiles , and mammals . About 300 people were dedicated to the care of

6642-482: Was the capital of the Mexican civilization of the Mexica people, founded in 1325. The state religion of the Mexica civilization awaited the fulfillment of an ancient prophecy: the wandering tribes would find the destined site for a great city whose location would be signaled by an eagle with a snake in its beak perched atop a cactus ( Opuntia ), which had grown from the heart of Copil . The Mexica saw this vision on what

6724-614: Was then a small swampy island in Lake Texcoco , a vision that is now immortalized in Mexico's coat of arms and on the Mexican flag . Not deterred by the unfavourable terrain, they set about building their city, using the chinampa system (misnamed as "floating gardens") for agriculture and to dry and expand the island. A thriving culture developed, and the Mexica civilization came to dominate other tribes around Mexico. The small natural island

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