MEXICO CITY “COSMOPOLITAN AND CULTURED”

By Clay Larroy

Traveling is the kind of activity, which almost all the people love. For someone it is an opportunity to relax and abstract from everyday busy life. For others it is interesting to observe the way people of other cultures and mentality live. Some people consider it to be the best way to have fun and always try to visit as many clubs, pubs, restaurants and cafes as possible for their wallets and time limits. When you want to plan a vacation contact me!

Attractions in Mexico City, Mexico

  

The culturally colorful and historically fascinating Mexico City has plenty to see and do for visitors from all walks of life, making it well worth exploring in route to the resorts, a great place for a lively weekend away, or even a

holiday destination in its own right. Mexico City is also reputed to be the city with the most museums in the world and is sure to appeal to history buffs and art lovers. With ancient ruins just a stone's throw from the city, tourists will want to visit the Templo Mayor, the principal temple of the Aztecs and part of Tenochtitlán, as well as the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Teotihuacan, the site of Mexico's largest ancient city, which dates back to around 300 to 600 BC. For a more colonial flavor, visit the beautiful nearby town of Guanajuato, discovered by the Spanish in 1558 for its silver deposits.

  

Downtown Mexico City is a great place to soak up the architecture and atmosphere of the stately buildings. The Zócalo is the main gathering point in the city and is surrounded by historic buildings. The Plaza Garibaldi-Mariachi is surrounded by cafés and restaurants and is also a favorite spot for tourists. To see the city at its most picturesque, stroll along the cobbled streets of San Angel where ancient mansions and colonial houses make for

wonderful photographic opportunities. Art lovers will enjoy the Palacio de Bellas Artes which features the works of Diego Rivera and David Alfaro
Siqueiros, as well as 6,000 other works of art, while one of Mexico City's most popular attractions is undoubtedly the Bosque de Chapultepec, Mexico City's largest park, covering an enormous area containing lakes, a zoo, and
several museums, including the Museo Nacional de Antropología.

 

El Zocalo

In the middle of the Mexico City's historic center is the enormous paved Plaza de la Constitucion, or Zocalo, the second largest city square in the world, and Mexico City's center of government and religion. The Presidential

Palace dominates one side of the square, a magnificent colonial building that was built on the site of the former Aztec Palace, with remarkable interior murals narrating the story of Mexico's history. Dominating an adjacent side

of the square is the great Metropolitan Cathedral, displaying a wealth of architectural styles and occupying the site of the once sacred grounds of the Aztec. The ornate interior contains its chief treasure, the King's Chapel and

gilded altar. The Cathedral is one of the buildings subsiding into the soft ground on which the city is built and builders are continuously at work to prevent its uneven descent.

  

The square itself is always filled with activity, with vendors and buskers, informal traditional Aztec dance performances, family groups, workers on lunch break and passing tourists. It is also the main site for demonstrations, government rallies and protest marches (which tourists are advised to avoid), as well as festivals and public holiday events. Every evening the presidential guards, in a show of great ceremony, lower the national

flag from the central flagpole. The square is constantly encircled by the city's ubiquitous green Volkswagen taxis, and is a good starting point for those wanting to explore the city.

 

Templo Mayor

Opening time: Tuesday to Sunday 9am to 5pm.

Admission: MXN 64

Templo Mayor (Great Temple) was the principal temple of the Aztecs, believed to mark the center of the universe. It was part of the sacred complex of the ancient city of Tenochtitlan, and today it has been excavated to show the multiple layers of construction, viewed from a raised walkway with extra explanatory material available in the form of audio guides and tour guides. The temple was first built in 1375, and enlarged several times, each rebuilding accompanied by a frenzied bloody sacrifice of captured warriors to rededicate the sacred area. At the center is a platform on which stands a sacrificial stone in front of the shrine to the tribal god, Huizilopochtli. Within the site is the excellent Museo del Templo Mayor, a museum displaying artefacts from the original site and providing an overview of Aztec civilization. The most important display is the first artefact to be discovered on the site, the great wheel-like stone carving of the Aztec goddess of the moon, Coyilxauhqui. The entrance fee covers admission to both the museum and the archaeological site. Photography is permitted, but there is an additional charge for those wanting to take video footage. There is a book store and museum shop for those wanting to buy souvenirs.

Getting there: Take metro to Zocalo. Templo Mayor is off Zocalo, to the right of the city cathedral if you face it.

Address: Seminario 8, Historical District

Telephone: +52 55 4040 5600

Website: www.templomayor.inah.gob.mx/english

REFERENCE SITES:

http://www.travelresearchonline.com/

 

Travel to experience memories that will last a lifetime!