Historic center of Mexico City
Centro Histórico de la Ciudad de México | |
|---|---|
 The Zócalo also known as Plaza de la Constitución with the Mexican flag waving in the center and to the right behind it, the Old Portal de Mercaderes | |
 | |
| Coordinates: 19°25′58″N 99°07′59″W / 19.43278°N 99.13306°W | |
| Country |  Mexico |
| City |  Mexico City |
| Borough | Cuauhtémoc |
| Population (2020) | |
| • Total | 61,229[1] |
| 21,782,000 | |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (CST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Official name | Historic Centre of Mexico City and Xochimilco |
| Type | Cultural |
| Criteria | ii, iii, iv, v |
| Designated | 1987 (11th session) |
| Reference no. | 412 |
| Region | Latin America and the Caribbean |
The historic center of Mexico City (Spanish: Centro Histórico de la Ciudad de México), also known as the Centro or Centro Histórico, is the central neighborhood in Mexico City, Mexico, focused on the Zócalo (or main plaza) and extending in all directions for a number of blocks, with its farthest extent being west to the Alameda Central.[2] The Zocalo is the largest plaza in Latin America.[3] It can hold up to nearly 100,000 people.[4]
This section of the capital lies in the municipal borough of Cuauhtémoc, has just over nine km2 and occupies 668 blocks. It contains 9,000 buildings, 1,550 of which have been declared of historical importance. Most of these historic buildings were constructed between the 16th and 20th centuries. It is divided into two zones for preservation purposes. Zone A encompasses the pre-Hispanic city and its expansion from the Viceroy period until Independence. Zone B covers the areas all other constructions to the end of the 19th century that are considered indispensable to the preservation of the area's architectural and cultural heritage.[5]
This is where the Spaniards began to build what is now modern Mexico City in the 16th century on the ruins of the conquered Tenochtitlan, capital of the Aztec Empire.[3] As the centre of the ancient Aztec Empire and the seat of power for the Spanish colony of New Spain, the Centro Historico contains most of the city's historic sites from both eras as well as a large number of museums. This has made it a World Heritage Site.[2]
- ^ Delegación Cuauhtémoc. "Delegación Cuauhtémoc Entorno" (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 2018-06-12. Retrieved 2018-06-17.
- ^ a b Noble, John (2000). Lonely Planet Mexico City:Your map to the megalopolis. Oakland CA: Lonely Planet. ISBN 1864500875.
- ^ a b "UNESCO World Heritage Sites Mexico City Historic Centre and Xochimilco". Retrieved 2008-08-30.
- ^ "Mexicans protest nationwide against crime wave". Fox News. August 30, 2008. Archived from the original on September 1, 2008. Retrieved August 31, 2008.
- ^ Valdez Krieg, Adriana (September 2004). "Al rescate del centro histórico". Mexico Desconocido. 331. Archived from the original on 2009-03-05. Retrieved 2008-09-02.