Mexico City (Spanish: Ciudad de México) is the capital and largest city
of Mexico, and the most populous city in North America. The city was
originally built on a group of islands in Lake Texcoco by the Mexica (Aztecs)
around 1325, under the name Tenochtitlan. It was almost completely destroyed
in the 1521 siege of Tenochtitlan and subsequently redesigned and rebuilt in
accordance with the Spanish urban standards.
The city of Mexico-Tenochtitlan was founded by the Mexica people in 1325 or
1327. The old Mexica city that is now referred to as Tenochtitlan was built on
an island in the center of the inland lake system of the Valley of Mexico,
which is shared with a smaller city-state called Tlatelolco. According to
legend, the Mexicas' principal god, Huitzilopochtli, indicated the site where
they were to build their home by presenting a golden eagle perched on a
prickly pear devouring a rattlesnake.
Between 1325 and 1521, Tenochtitlan grew in size and strength, eventually
dominating the other city-states around Lake Texcoco and in the Valley of
Mexico. When the Spaniards arrived, the Aztec Empire had reached much of
Mesoamerica, touching both the Gulf of Mexico and the Pacific Ocean.
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General view of the main square, seen from south to north.
Zócalo is the common name of the main square in central Mexico City.
Prior to the colonial period, it was the main ceremonial center in the
Aztec city of Tenochtitlan.
- In the background you can see the Metropolitan Cathedral.
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The plaza used to be known simply as the "Main Square" or "Arms
Square", and today its formal name is
Plaza de la Constitución (Constitution Square).
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General view of the main square, from west to east.
It has been a gathering place for Mexicans since Aztec times, having
been the site of Mexican ceremonies, the swearing-in of viceroys, royal
proclamations, military parades, Independence ceremonies, and modern
religious events such as the festivals of Holy Week and Corpus Christi.
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General view of the Metropolitan Cathedral.
The Metropolitan Cathedral of the Assumption of the Most Blessed Virgin
Mary into Heaven (Spanish:
Catedral Metropolitana de la Asunción de la Bienaventurada Virgen
María a los Cielos) is the cathedral church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Mexico.
- It is situated on top of the former Aztec sacred precinct.
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Mexico City Metropolitan Cathedral.
Due to the long time it took to build it, just under 250 years,
virtually all the main architects, painters, sculptors, gilding masters
and other plastic artists of the viceroyalty worked at some point in the
construction of the enclosure.
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The long construction time also led to the integration of a number of
architectural styles in its design, including the Gothic, Baroque,
Churrigueresque, Neoclassical styles, as they came into vogue over the
centuries.
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See more at
Mexico City Metropolitan Cathedral - Wikipedia.
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Main portal of the main facade.
The main facade of the cathedral faces south. The main portal is
centered in the main facade and is the highest of the cathedral's three
portals.
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Statues of Saint Peter and Paul the Apostle stand between the columns
of the portal, while Saint Andrew and James the Just are depicted on
the secondary doorway.
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There is a clock tower at the very top of the portal with statues
representing Faith, Hope and Charity.
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High relief of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary.
In the center of this doorway is a high relief of the Assumption of the
Virgin Mary, to whom the cathedral is dedicated.
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This image is flanked by images of Saint Matthew and Saint Andrew.
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The coat of arms of Mexico is above the doorway, with the eagle's
wings outstretched.
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The west bell tower.
The bell towers are capped with bell-shaped roofs made of tezontle
covered in
chiluca, a white stone. To the left, one of the atrial crosses.
There are Aztec skulls in its base.
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The statues in the west tower represent Pope Gregory VII, Saint
Augustine, Leander of Seville, St. Fulgentius of Écija, St.Francis
Xavier, and Saint Barbara.
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The statues in the east tower depict Emilio, Rose of Lima, Mary
(mother of Jesus), Ambrogio, Jerome, Philip of Jesus, Hippolytus of
Rome, and Isidore the Laborer.
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In 1947, a novice bell ringer died in an accident when he tried to
move one of the bells while standing under it. The bell swung back and
hit him in the head, killing him instantly. The bell was then
"punished" by removing the clapper. In the following years, the bell
was known as
la castigada ("the punished one"), or la muda ("the mute
one"). In 2000, the clapper was reinstalled in the bell.
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The west facade.
The west facade has a three-section portal with images of the Four
Evangelists.
- The east facade is similar to the west facade.
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The west portal.
The west portal has high reliefs depicting Jesus handing the Keys of
Heaven to Saint Peter.
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The reliefs on the east portal show a ship carrying the four apostles,
with Saint Peter at the helm. The title of this relief is
The ship of the Church sailing the seas of Eternity.
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Monument to Pope John Paul II.
The monument to Pope John Paul II (Spanish:
Monumento al Papa Juan Pablo II) is installed outside the Mexico
City Metropolitan Cathedral.
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The interior of the Cathedral.
There are five large, ornate altars, a sacristy, a choir, a choir area,
a corridor and a capitulary room. Fourteen of the cathedral's sixteen
chapels are open to the public.
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Each chapel is dedicated to a different saint or saints, and each was
sponsored by a religious guild.
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The chapels contain ornate altars, altarpieces, retablos, paintings,
furniture and sculptures.
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The Altar of the Kings.
The Altar of the Kings (Spanish: Altar de los Reyes) is located
at the back of the cathedral, beyond the Altar of Forgiveness and the
choir, a space known as "royal chapel".
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It was the work of Jerónimo de Balbás, in Mexican Baroque or
Churrigueresque style. Balbás constructed it in cedar from 1718 to
1725.
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It was gilded and finished by Francico Martínez in 1736 and completed
in 1737.
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The Lord of Venom.
The Lord of Venom (Spanish: El Señor del Veneno) stands on the
far right of the Altar of Forgiveness.
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According to tradition, a priest came every day to pray before the
image of Christ, which was originally white. At the end, he kissed the
feet of the crucifix. One day a man confessed to the cleric that he
had robbed and murdered. As penance, the priest asked him to return
what was stolen and turn himself in to justice. The penitent did not
welcome the priest's words, so he decided to end his life. At night,
the thief entered the Temple and anointed the feet of Christ with
poison, with the aim that the priest would die after kissing them. As
usual, the priest went to pray to the crucifix, however, when he tried
to kiss it, he observed how the Christ flexed his legs to save him
from the poison. Furthermore, the light color of the Christ
miraculously turned black.
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See more at
Cristos Negros of Central America and Mexico - Wikipedia.
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The Organs.
The cathedral is home to two of the largest 18th-century organs in the
Americas; they are situated above the walls of the choir, on the epistle
side (east) and the gospel side (west).
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They were made in Mexico by José Nassarre of Spain, and completed by
1736, incorporating elements of the 17th-century organ.
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The Tabernacle.
Situated to the right of the main cathedral, the Metropolitan Tabernacle
(Spanish: Sagrario Metropolitano) was built by Lorenzo Rodríguez
during the height of the Baroque period between 1749 and 1760, to house
the archives and vestments of the archbishop.
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It also functioned and continues to function as a place to receive
Eucharist and register parishioners.
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Tabernacle's southern façade.
The tabernacle has two main outside entrances; one to the south, facing
the Zócalo and the other facing east toward Seminario Street. The
southern façade is more richly decorated than the east façade. It has a
theme of glorifying the Eucharist with images of the Apostles, Church
Fathers, saints who founded religious orders, martyrs as well as scenes
from the Bible.
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Zoomorphic reliefs can be found along with the anthropologic reliefs,
including a rampaging lion, and the eagle from the coat of arms of
Mexico.
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Tabernacle's southern façade.
During the construction of the cathedral, the tabernacle was housed in
what are now the Chapels of San Isidro and Our Lady of Agony of Granada.
However, in the 18th century, it was decided to build a structure that
was separate, but still connected, to the main cathedral.
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It is constructed of tezontle (a reddish porous volcanic rock)
and white stone in the shape of a Greek cross with its southern facade
faces the Zócalo.
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It is connected to the main cathedral via the Chapel of San Isidro.
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Tabernacle's southern façade.
The exterior of the Baroque styled tabernacle is almost entirely adorned
with decorations, such as curiously shaped niche shelves, floating
drapes and many cherubs.
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Tabernacle's southern façade.
Carvings of fruits such as grapes and pomegranates have been created to
in the shape of ritual offerings, symbolizing the Blood of Christ and
the Church.
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Tabernacle's southern façade.
Among the floral elements, roses, daisies, and various types of
four-petalled flowers can be found, including the indigenous
chalchihuite.
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Detail of the southern facade.
The southern façade has a theme of glorifying the Eucharist with images
of the Apostles, Church Fathers, saints who founded religious orders,
martyrs as well as scenes from the Bible.
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Tabernacle's east façade.
The east facade is less ambitious, but contains figures from the Old
Testament as well as the images of John Nepomucene and Ignacio de
Loyola.
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Construction dates for the phases of the tabernacle are also inscribed
here.
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The National Palace.
The National Palace (Spanish: Palacio Nacional) is the seat of
the federal executive in Mexico. Since 2018 it has also served as the
official residence for the President of Mexico. It is located on Mexico
City's main square, the Plaza de la Constitución (El Zócalo).
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This site has been a palace for the ruling class of Mexico since the
Aztec Empire, and much of the current palace's building materials are
from the original one that belonged to the 16th-century leader
Moctezuma II.
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Above the central doorway, facing the Zócalo, is the main balcony
where just before 11pm on September 15, the president of Mexico gives
the
Grito de Dolores, in a ceremony to commemorate Mexican
Independence. Part of this ceremony includes ringing the bell that
hangs above the balcony. This bell is the original one that Father
Miguel Hidalgo rang to call for rebellion against Spain. It originally
hung in the church of Dolores Hidalgo, Guanajuato, but was relocated
here.
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In the niche containing the bell, there is the Mexican coat of arms.
On each side there is an Aztec eagle knight and his Spanish
counterpart. These were sculpted by Manuel Centurion and symbolize the
synthesis of Mexican culture and Spanish culture.
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See more at
National Palace (Mexico) - Wikipedia.
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See also
Sources
Location
