Free
More than 21 million people live in Mexico City. That’s more than any other city in North or South America.
Mexico City doesn’t just have more people than any other city in Mexico. It has more of everything: more museums, sports arenas, art galleries, parks, TV stations, theaters, and jobs. It is the nation’s center for government, culture, industry, and transportation. Its size also causes some major headaches – more traffic and air pollution.
Mexico City is the nation’s capital, but how did it become so large? As modern farm machinery reduced the need for farmhands, many workers lost their jobs. Poverty became an everyday reality. Better-paying industrial jobs were available in Mexico City. Education was much better there, too.
People also came to Mexico City for its climate – warm but not hot. That’s because it’s in a valley in the high plateaus of central Mexico, about 7,500 feet above sea level.
Loading the player...
▲ Although Mexico City has many modern buildings, it has ancient foundations. The capital sits on top of the Aztec city of Tenochtitlan. In the 1970s, workers were digging a hole for an electrical cable. They found the remains of a large pyramid complex. Above is a model of the complex.
▲ In 1790, workers were digging a basement in the Zócalo area. They discovered a 24-ton disk that was covered with markings. It was this Aztec calendar stone. The symbols on the stone describe the world’s history according to the Aztec religion.
▲ Mexico City doesn’t just have a whole lot of people living there. It also has a serious problem with air pollution. That’s partly because mountains and volcanoes surround the city. They trap polluted air, often causing smog to settle over the city. The good news is that the smog is not as bad as it used to be, thanks to many steps the government took to improve the air.
▲ This is Mexico’s National Palace. It is where the president has his office and the federal government maintains its headquarters. The bell that Father Hidalgo rang in 1810 hangs from the front of the building.
▲ Mexico City’s central plaza is officially called the Plaza de la Constitución. But everyone calls it the Zócalo, which means the base or foundation. It has been a public square ever since the Aztecs. It is also home to the National Cathedral, which was built over three centuries, starting in 1572.
This is another famous square in Mexico City. It is known as the Plaza of Three Cultures. That’s because it is a place where buildings from Indian, Spanish, and modern Mexican culture stand side by side. ▶
▲ Hundreds of years ago, the Aztec city of Tenochtitlan, which is now Mexico City, was filled with water gardens. Today, only this water garden remains. It is a living souvenir of the city’s past.
