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172-414: Today, the borough consists of the 18 barrios , or neighborhoods, of this city along with 14 pueblos , or villages, that surround it, covering an area of 125 km (48 sq mi). The borough is in the southeastern part of the city and has an identity that is separate from the historic center of Mexico City , due to its historic separation from that city during most of its history. Xochimilco

344-450: A "pacific" form of "civilized caciquismo", such as Mexico's Porfirio Díaz (r. 1876–1911). Argentine writer Fernando N.A. Cuevillas views caciquismo as being "nothing more than a special brand of tyrant". In Spain, caciquismo appeared in the late 19th-century and early 20th-century Spain . Writer Ramón Akal González views Galicia in northwest of Spain, as having remained in a continual state of strangulated growth over centuries as

516-523: A European-style nobility, within the newly established colonial system and a cacique's status among the colonizers (along with that of his family) was buttressed by their being permitted the Spanish noble honorifics don and doña . As colonial middlemen, caciques were often the first to introduce European material culture to their communities. This is seen in the Spanish-style houses they built,

688-477: A borough when the Federal District was reorganized, including the communities of Mixquic , San Juan Ixtayopan and Tetelco. These and other territories would be lost and its final dimensions attained in 1931. In the 1920s, Xochimilco lost control of most of its water supply, taken by the city for its needs. The urban sprawl of Mexico City reached Xochimilco in the mid 20th century and it still affects

860-458: A cost of 20 million pesos . This program includes the cutting of non native species such as eucalyptus and certain pines and cedars to eradicate plagues associated with them. However, residents near forests such as in Nativitas oppose the cutting of healthy trees. These will be replaced by native species, especially junipers in the chinampa areas. However, it is still estimated that because of

1032-494: A family's prestige, but it could no longer in itself be regarded as a rank of major authority." In a 1769 petition by a cacique family to the Viceroy of New Spain , appealing for the restoration of its privileges, the following expectations were listed: "that, the cacique should be seated separately from commoners at public functions; he was excused from serving in town government; he was exempted from tribute and other exactions; he

1204-581: A freshwater crayfish called an acocil , and the Montezuma frog . However, the most representative animal from these waters is the axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum). This amphibian was used as a medicine, food and ceremonial object during the Aztec Empire . It was considered to be an incarnation of the god Xolotl , brother of Quetzalcoatl . It has been studied due to its abilities to regenerate limbs and other body parts. It can also reach sexual maturity as

1376-401: A grave danger to both people and to the "incalculable artistic and historic value of the buildings." One of the churches in imminent danger is called San Lorenzo Diácono y Mártir , with Our Lady of Loreto , La Santísima Trinidad and La Santa Cruz also requiring prompt attention to avoid collapse. The San Lorenzo and Loreto churches both have had incidences where large pieces of the building,

1548-586: A heroine of the Mexican War of Independence stands in a fountain in the middle of the plaza. The San Ildefonso College currently is a museum and cultural center considered to be the birthplace of the Mexican muralism movement. San Ildefonso began as a prestigious Jesuit boarding school, and after the Reform War , it gained educational prestige again as National Preparatory School. This school and

1720-506: A larva, which no other amphibian can do. While mostly aquatic, it does have limited ability to breathe air. As of 2003, there were only 600 axolotls known to exist in the wild. Most of the threat to the species is loss of habitat and pollution, but the introduction of non-native fish such as tilapia has also had disastrous effects on the population of this and other species. Conservation efforts include research and environmental education. The Grupo de Investigación del Ajolote en Xochimilco (GIA-X)

1892-479: A neoclassical building at No. 8 Tacuba, Colonia Centro. It houses a collection representing the history of Mexican art from the late pre-Hispanic era to the early 20th century. It is recognizable by Manuel Tolsá 's large equestrian statue of Charles IV of Spain who was the monarch just before Mexico gained its Independence. It was originally in the Zocalo but it was moved to several locations, not out of deference to

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2064-531: A new governor, Omácatl, onto Xochimilco due to the arrival of the Spanish, but this governor was forced to return to Tenochtitlan , when the emperor was taken prisoner. He was then succeeded by Macuilxochitecuhtli , but eighty days later he too went to Tenochtitlan to fight the Spanish alongside Cuitláhuac . He was followed by Apochquiyautzin , who remained loyal to Tenochtitlan. For this reason, Hernán Cortés decided to send armies to subdue Xochimilco before taking Tenochtitlan. This occurred on 16 April 1521. During

2236-575: A number of blocks, with its farthest extent being west to the Alameda Central . The Zocalo is the largest plaza in Latin America. It can hold up to nearly 100,000 people. This section of the capital lies in the municipal borough of Cuauhtémoc , has just over nine km 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

2408-629: A number of these structures, which were never fixed or rebuilt, leading to slums and garbage-strewn vacant lots. The result was the loss of about 100,000 residents of the "Colonia Centro", leaving the area almost deserted at night. By the 1980s, so many had fled the Centro that many of its former mansions were either abandoned or turned into tenements for the poor, and its sidewalks and streets taken over by pickpockets and milling vendors. For many people, especially international visitors, Mexico City's reputation for pollution, traffic and crime has made

2580-627: A result of caciquismo and nepotism. "Galicia still suffers from this anachronistic caste of caciques." Spanish strongman El Caudillo Francisco Franco (1892-1975) was born in Ferrol in Galicia. In the Philippines, the term cacique democracy was coined by Benedict Anderson . It has been used to describe the political system where in many parts of the country local leaders remain very strong, with almost warlord-type powers. The Philippines

2752-604: A school. Xochimilco was made an encomienda of Pedro de Alvarado in 1521 and remained such until 1541. The Spanish used the lakes and canals of the Valley of Mexico much as the indigenous did, at least at first. Xochimilco remained an important agricultural area, shipping its produce to Mexico City in the same ways. However, problems with flooding, especially the Great Flood of 1609 in Mexico City and Xochimilco, spurred

2924-711: A small alley in San Lucas Xochimanca. A plaque commemorates the site. When the Zapatistas were confronted by troops loyal to Venustiano Carranza in Cuemanco, they damaged pumps and set the center of Xochimilco and the original municipal palace on fire. In 1914, Francisco Villa and Emiliano Zapata met in San Gregorio and signed an alliance called the Pact of Xochimilco . After the war, Xochimilco became

3096-432: A stone and a window respectively, have fallen, causing damage but no injuries. Despite efforts by the archdiocese to demonstrate the extent of the damage of many of the churches, Conaculta still maintains that none of the buildings are in danger of coming down. Another problem is that the depopulation of the historic center, which leaves these churches fairly empty and the diocese unable to fund restoration work. Starting in

3268-558: A total of 170 km. These canals, and the small colorful boats that float on them among artificially created land called chinampas , are internationally famous. These canals are popular with Mexico City residents as well, especially on Sundays. These canals are all of what is left of what used to be a vast lake and canal system that extended over most parts of the Valley of Mexico , restricting cities such as Tenochtitlan (Mexico City) and Xochimilco to small islands. This system of waterways

3440-416: A turkey kept by an old woman. In 2005, the borough had a population of 404,458, 4.6% of the total population of the Federal District. The growth rate is 1.8% for the past decade, lower than the decade previous. However, a large percentage of the borough's population lives in poverty and many live illegally on ecological reserves, lacking basic services such as running water and drainage. In the past, houses in

3612-417: A vestige of the area's precolonial past, has made Xochimilco a World Heritage Site . In 1950, Paramahansa Yogananda , in his Autobiography of a Yogi , wrote that if there were a scenic beauty contest, Xochimilco would get the first prize. The borough of Xochimilco was created in 1928, when the federal government reorganized the Federal District of Mexico City into sixteen boroughs . The Xochimilco borough

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3784-545: A wedding gift for his daughter. It gained the name "Palace of Iturbide" because Agustín de Iturbide lived and accepted the crown as Mexico's first emperor there after independence from Spain. Today, the restored building houses the Fomento Cultural Banamex and has been renamed the Palacio de Cultura Banamex. The Torre Latinoamericana - This is one of the best-known skyscrapers in Latin America. It

3956-467: Is a nonprofit research group dedicated to the preservation of the axolotl, which is in danger of extinction. It works to better understand the creature as well as with the local community to protect what is left of its habitat. In addition to species that live in the area year round, the wetlands here host about forty percent of the migratory bird species that arrive to Mexico, roughly 350, use the wet areas around Xochimilco for nesting. Many of these come from

4128-548: Is a pre-Hispanic style skull. The organ is Baroque from the 17th century. The pews are made of red cedar as are the two pulpits, all made by Juan Rojas in the 18th century. The San Pedro Tlalnahuac Church was one of the first “poza” chapels (used for processions) built in Xochimilco, dating from 1533. The main church has a masonry façade. In front, a small paved yard contains a cross sculpted in wood and sandstone. A significant number of pre-Hispanic artifacts have been found on

4300-519: Is also the first church established in the area, the San Bernardino de Siena church and former monastery founded by Martín de Valencia . The current church building was constructed between 1535 and 1590 under the direction of Francisco de Soto , but the cloister and monastery area were not finished until the early 17th century. In 1609, a monastery school was founded at the site with classes in rhetoric , theology and arts and letters. Most of

4472-414: Is best known for its canals, which are left from what was an extensive lake and canal system that connected most of the settlements of the Valley of Mexico . These canals, along with artificial islands called chinampas , attract tourists and other city residents to ride on colorful gondola -like boats called trajineras around the 170 km (110 mi) of canals. This canal and chinampa system, as

4644-518: Is covered in 24karat gold leaf. It contains a relief of San Bernardino surrounded by two groups of indigenous sculptures, who are helping to build the church. Above San Bernardino, there is a depiction of the Virgin of the Assumption and the Virgin of Xochimilco. The paintings represent episodes from the life of Jesus and have been attributed to Simon Pereyns and Andrés de la Concha . This is one of

4816-541: Is frequently the center of civic events. The area used to be an Aztec marketplace and after the Conquest, the Catholic Church used the area for the burning of heretics and witches. The park was created in 1592, when Viceroy Luis de Velasco decided to create green space here as a public park. The name comes from the Spanish word álamo , which means poplar tree, which were planted here. By the late 19th century,

4988-515: Is located just off the city's main plaza, or Zócalo , in a building that was the convent for the neighboring Church of Santa Ines ( Agnes of Rome ). This convent was founded in 1600 by Don Diego Caballero and his wife Doña Inés de Velasco. The convent existed until 1861, when, due to the Nationalization of Church Property Act, all convents and monasteries in the country were disbanded. The convent's church and residence hall where separated and

5160-526: Is now modern Mexico City in the 16th century on the ruins of the conquered Tenochtitlan , capital of the Aztec Empire . 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. What is now the historic downtown of Mexico City roughly correlates with

5332-494: Is one of the oldest neighborhoods of the borough. Xaltocán began as a ranch or hacienda that belonged to the indigenous caciques . It was later donated to the San Bernardino de Siena monastery . After the monastery was secularized, it became hacienda land again, but over time, parts were sold and it became the current area of Xochimilco. The church for this community was built in 1751 as the hacienda chapel. Originally, it

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5504-479: Is related to this popular Catholic festival calendar, intolerance of religious minorities generally takes the subtle form of being excluded from events, although a number of non-Catholics participate in festivities anyway. These mostly religious festivals and other traditions have been maintain despite the urbanization of the borough. The calendar of celebrations here is extensive. Some are civic or political events such as Independence Day or local celebrations such as

5676-414: Is that smaller chinampas have been combined to create larger ones. While there are still those who maintain chinampas traditionally, and use them for agriculture, the chinampa culture is fading in the borough, with many being urbanized or turned into soccer fields and sites for housing and businesses. The deterioration of many of these chinampas can be seen as their edges erode into the dark, polluted water of

5848-411: Is the loss of trees, especially junipers in the ecological zone. Over sixty percent of the area is considered to be serious deforested and eighty percent of the junipers have the parasitic plant mistletoe . Since being declared a World Heritage Site, there have been attempts to rescue the canal system. The first major effort occurred between 1989 and 1994, which was called the “Rescate Ecológico.” It had

6020-410: Is the national pawn shop, founded in 1775 and one of the largest second-hand shops in the world. On this site were houses that belonged to the last Aztec ruler, Moctezuma II, which Hernán Cortés took for his own after the Conquest. These houses originally stretched from modern-day Isabel la Catolica, Madero, Tacuba and Monte de Piedad streets, prompting one chronicler, Cervantes de Salazar to comment that

6192-580: Is to sponsor and organized any many religious festivals and celebrations that occur through the year, as well as other duties. This may be paid for by collecting donations or paid for directly by the mayordomo. There are 422 officially recognized festivals during the year, including those local to specific communities. One of these more localized festivals is on May 3, Day of the Holy Cross , which has been celebrated in communities such as Santa Cruz Xochitepec (or Magdalena Xochitepec), Santa Cruz Acalpixcan and

6364-425: Is very small, consisting only of a number of restaurants and businesses that import goods. Its diminished size is because most descendants of Chinese immigrants to Mexico in the late 19th and early 20th centuries either intermarried with the local Mexican population and/or were expelled from the country in the 1930s. Despite this, it is considered the nucleus of the approximately 3,000 families with Chinese heritage in

6536-427: Is what is left of the lake. The elevated areas of the borough contain small forests of ocotes , strawberry trees , cedars , Montezuma cypress and a tree called a “tepozan.” Xochimilco, along with other southern boroughs such as Milpa Alta and Tlalpan , have lower crime statistics than most other areas of the Federal District. However, crime, especially that related to kidnapping and drug trafficking has been on

6708-510: The Ashes and Snow Nomadic museum and a skateboarding/BMX event that drew 50,000 young people on 24 August 2008. The Festival de México is an annual event with programs dedicated to art (popular and high) and academia. In 2008, was the 24th Festival with 254 performances and shows from over 20 countries in 65 plazas and other locations in this section of the city. It is central to national level protests such as those staged by Lopez Obrador after

6880-515: The Conquest , the Spanish built the San Bernardino de Siena monastery and church, which is still the center of the borough. The main street through the center of town, Guadalupe I.Ramirez, was originally a land bridge connecting this area, then on an island, to the causeway that led to Tenochtitlan (Mexico City). As the lake dried, the bridge became road, and it was called the Puente de Axomulco in

7052-578: The Cuicuilco , Copilco and Tlatilco settlements during the Classic period . The Xochimilca people , considered one of the seven Nahua tribes that migrated into the Valley of Mexico , first settled around 900 BC in Cuahilama , near what is now Santa Cruz Acalpixca. They worshipped sixteen deities, with Chantico , goddess of the hearth; Cihuacoatl , an earth goddess; and Amimitl , god of chinampas,

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7224-616: The Metztitlán and Oaxaca valleys . For their service, Ahuizotl , granted the Xochimilcas autonomy in their lands, and the two cities coexisted peacefully. Aztec emperors would pass by here on royal barges on their way to Chalco/Xico , then an island in Lake Chalco . For centuries Xochimilco remained relatively separate from Mexico City but provided much of the larger city's produce. Aztec emperor Moctezuma Xocoyotzin imposed

7396-456: The Nahuatl suffix “-pan” (place) to mean “child of the place.” The image was thought to have been made of orange tree wood, but this was proven false when the image was dropped and a finger damaged, allowing for the taking of a small sample. The analysis showed that it was made in the local area of a tree called a chocolín , in the 16th or 17th century. The prestige for becoming a mayordomo for

7568-549: The National Council for Culture and Arts (CONACULTA) do have say in how these places are maintained because of their historic value. Some of the disagreement is over the extent of the deterioration. Conaculta does not believe that any of the 68 religious buildings in the oldest part of city are in imminent danger of collapse. However the Archdiocese of Mexico believes that the structural problems noted constitute

7740-644: The World Monuments Fund . Work began with the beautification of 34 blocks just north of the Zócalo, digging up the antiquated drainage system and improving water supply. An architect was put in charge of each of the thirteen main streets to restore the façades of more than 500 buildings. The latest infrastructure projects of this type have focused on the southwest portions of the area, on República de El Salvador, Talavera, Correo Mayor, Mesones and Pino Suárez streets, mostly focusing on repaving and improving

7912-569: The administrators who followed them used the word generically to refer to any leader of practically any indigenous group they encountered in the Western Hemisphere . In Hispanic and Lusophone countries, the term has also come to mean a political boss , similar to a caudillo , exercising power in a system of caciquism . The Taíno word kasike descends from the Taíno word kassiquan , which means "to keep house". In 1555

8084-559: The viceroys of New Spain and remained so (despite being destroyed and rebuilt again in 1692) until Mexican independence. Facing the Zócalo above a central balcony is the Campana (Bell) of Dolores, which is rung by the president each 15th of Sept to celebrate Independence. The Metropolitan Cathedral , dedicated to the Assumption of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary, occupies the north end of the Zócalo. The site originally

8256-534: 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. This is where the Spaniards began to build what

8428-455: The 17th century, about two thousand barges a day still traveled on the waters that separated the two areas. In 1749, Xochimilco became a " corregimiento " or semi-autonomous area from Mexico City and would remain so until Independence . It would also increase in importance as a stopover for those traveling between Mexico City and Cuernavaca . Also during this time, Xochimila Martín de la Cruz , wrote Xihuipahtli mecéhual amato , better known as

8600-550: The 17th or 18th century. Another dedicated to Christ on the south side is from the 16th or 17th century. One dedicated to Martin de Porres is notable because it has no columns. The church's only chapel serves as a tabernacle . This room contains a large painting of Calvary . There are also a large number of notable paintings by names such as Echave Orio , Simón Pereyns, Sánchez Salmerón Caravaggio , Francisco Martínez , Luis Arciniegas and Juan Martínez Monteñés . The baptismal fonts are decorated in acanthus leaves, among which

8772-782: The 2006 Presidential Elections and the nationwide protest against crime held on August 30, 2008. Just off the Zócalo are the Palacio Nacional, the Cathedral Metropolitana, the Templo Mayor with its adjoining museum, and Nacional Monte de Piedad building. The Palacio Nacional borders the entire east side of the Zocalo and contains the offices of the President of Mexico , the Federal Treasury,

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8944-550: The 450 hectares of illegal settlements. UNESCO demands their eviction, but the borough says this would be too difficult and better to legalize the settlements, putting efforts into preventing more. From the pre-Hispanic period to the present, religion has pervaded the life of people in this region. Since it was imposed in the early 16th century, the Catholic religion has permeated and molded popular culture. As in other parts of Mexico, indigenous beliefs and practices, such as those of

9116-579: The 4th Viceroy. Although the works had not been concluded, the cathedral received its first dedication on 2 February 1656. The completion in 1813 of the neo-classical additions designed by Manuel Tolsá was celebrated on 15 August 2013 by Cardinal Carrera who opened and entered through the Holy Door in the center of the façade prior to celebrating Pontifical High Mass in the cathedral. Between 1989 and 2000 extensive engineering works were conducted to arrest and rectify damage and distortions caused to

9288-776: The Aztec Herbal Book or the Cruz-Badiano Codex . It is the oldest book on medicine written on the American continent. It was translated into Latin by Juan Badiano . The original is in the Vatican . After Independence, Xochimilco became a municipality in what was then the State of Mexico . It would later become a part of the Federal District of Mexico City after the Mexican–American War , when this district

9460-678: The Aztec god Tezcatlipoca . It remained the archbishphoric until 1867 when the Finance Ministry Accountancy Department was established there. The modern museum houses an exhibit dedicated to this god as well as a large art collection. La Santísima Church is located at the corner of La Santísima and Emiliano Zapata streets. Its full name is Temple and Hospital of the Most Holy Trinity (Templo y Antiguo Hospital de la Santisíma Trinidad). The church

9632-523: The Canal del Desagüe were built to further drain the valley . This and excessive aquifer pumping lowered water tables and canals near Mexico City center dried up and cut off an inexpensive way to get goods to market for Xochimilco. This had a major effect on the area's economy, along with the effects of the loss of fishing for communities such as Santa Cruz Acalpixca, San Gregorio Atlapulco and San Luis Tlaxialtemalco.(rescartarlo) In 1908, an electric tram serves

9804-666: The Church of Santa Inés still maintains its original function. The residence hall became private property, functioning mostly as tenements until artist José Luis Cuevas bought the property with the intention to restoring it and establishing the current museum dedicated to his art and art of contemporary Latin America. The House of the First Print Shop in the Americas at the corner of Moneda and Licenciado Primo Verdad streets

9976-669: The Count of the Valley of Orizaba ordered the Talavera tiles from Puebla . In the early part of the 20th century, as a result of the Latin American posture of then-Minister of Public Education José Vasconcelos , many of the streets to the north and west of the Zocalo were renamed after Latin American countries. Historically, the Zócalo, or main plaza, has been a venue for fine and popular cultural events. Some example of events held here recently are Spencer Tunick 's photo shoot,

10148-648: The Demons" and the "House of the Flowers". Also located here were the two most renowned Aztec schools: the Telpuchcalli for secular studies and the Calmecac for priestly training. When the Spaniards arrived, the city had aqueducts built by Moctezuma Ilhuicamina and Ahuizotl as well as a large dike constructed to the east of the city. After the Spanish conquest, this design remained largely intact, mostly due to

10320-520: The Dolls. It is the best-known chinampa , or floating garden, in Xochimilco. It belonged to a man named Don Julián Santana Barrera, a native of the La Asunción neighborhood. Santana Barrera was a loner, who was rarely seen in most of Xochimilco. According to the legend, one early morning a young girl and her sisters went swimming in the canal but the current was too strong. The sisters got separated and

10492-434: The Federal District. This prompted authorities to seek World Heritage Site status for the canals and the pre-Hispanic chinampa fields to provide them with more environmental protection. This was granted in 1987, but these same major environmental problems still exist. A 2006 study by UNESCO and Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana has shown that there are still very high levels of pollution (both garbage and fecal matter) in

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10664-647: The Holy Burial, with mayordomos sponsoring breakfast. It is located in the La Asunción neighborhood. Historic center of Mexico City 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

10836-554: The Mexican national archives in a section Vínculos ("entails"). The establishment of Spanish-style town government ( cabildos) served as a mechanism to supplant traditional rule. Spanish manipulation of cabildo elections placed compliant members of the traditional, hereditary lineages on such cabildos town councils. By the late colonial era in central Mexico, the term cacique had lost any dynastic meaning, with one scholar noting that "cacique status could in some degree buttress

11008-615: The Nation is located just off the Zócalo , on the corners of Pino Suárez and Carranza Streets. It was built between 1935 and 1941 by Antonio Muñoz Garcia. Prior to the Conquest , this site was reserved for the ritual known as " Dance of the Flyers " which is still practiced today in Papantla . Its ownership was in dispute during much of the colonial period, eventually becoming the site of a very large market known as El Volador. The interior of

11180-552: The National Archives as well as murals depicting pre-Hispanic life and a large mural filling the central stairway depicting the entire history of the Mexican nation from the Conquest on. This palace was built on the ruins of Moctezuma II's palace beginning in 1521, using the same tezontle stone used to build the Aztec palace. It was originally in the Hernán Cortés family until the king of Spain bought it to house

11352-528: The Niñopa is so great, that the waiting time to become one is decades long. The mayordomo receives nothing for the care of the image and pays all expenses out of pocket, which includes building rooms for the image to stay, and sponsoring the nearly daily events dedicated to this image. The annual cycle begin on February 2, when the image is received by a new mayordomo. During the year, the image visits homes and hospitals, accompanied by Chinelos dancers. In addition to

11524-405: The Niñopan, other important child Jesus figures include the Niño Dormidito in the Xaltocan neighborhood, the Niño de Belen at the Salitre Embarcadero, the Niño Tamalerito, and the Niño de San Juan. These images, along with the Niñopan, are celebrated together on April 30, at an event called the Niños Sagrados. There are various replicas of the Niñopa, which are owned by former mayordomos. Fifteen of

11696-431: The Periférico Sur similar to those in the San Jerónimo area. However, this plan was stopped by agricultural communities in the area, which have a long history of defending their rights. However, since then, the area has been urbanized. It was replaced by a much smaller lake, with ecological area and plant market . In 2008, borough authorities began a reforestation program over 5,000 hectares of chinampas and forested areas at

11868-697: The Spanish colonial rule, and decades after Túpac Amaru II 's 1781 uprising other insurrections such as the Túpac Katari or the Mateo Pumakawa uprisings were often the first major engagements of the South American Wars of Independence. Cacicas played significant roles as female leaders and entrepreneurs within indigenous Mexican communities. These women held titles independently, distinct from their husbands, and did not lose their status if they married outside their rank. Cacicas possessed financial insight, engaging in business transactions like property dealings and managing financial networks. They owned valuable assets including land, homes, and livestock, often securing

12040-519: The Spanish furnishings that filled them and the European fashions they wore everywhere. They engaged in Spanish commercial enterprises such as sheep and cattle ranchers and sericulture . Many even owned enslaved Africans to operate these concerns. The caciques also acquired new privileges, unknown before contact. These included the right to carry swords or firearms and to ride horses or mules. Some caciques had entailed estates called cacicazgos . The records of many of these Mexican estates are held in

12212-400: The Spanish monarch. In 1781, the Tīpac Amaru rebellion was led by a kuraka who claimed to be a descendant of the Inca royal line, that of the final Inca, Túpac Amaru . At independence in 1825, Simón Bolívar abolished noble titles, but the power and prestige of the kurakas were already in decline following the Great Rebellion. Kuraka rebellions had been waged since the beginning of

12384-519: The Spanish to begin projects to drain the lakes. As a result, these lakes, including Lake Xochimilco, has suffered one of the most radical transformations in the history of urbanization. Five hundred years ago, the lake extended 350 km (140 sq mi) and contained 170 km (66 sq mi) of chinampas and 750 km (470 mi) of canals. Today, there are only 25 km (9.7 sq mi) of chinampas and 170 km (110 mi) of canals, and they are still disappearing. Xochimilco

12556-554: The United States and Canada. However, much of this habitat has been urbanized. About 700 species have been found in the area overall. Some of the migratory species include pelicans , storks , buzzards and falcons . The destruction of the last of these canals began in the 1950s. At that time, groundwater pumping under the city center was causing severe subsidence. These wells were closed and new ones dug in Xochimilco and other southern boroughs. High rates of extraction have had

12728-518: The Xochimilca, were not completely eradicated. Instead, many were integrated and readapted to Catholicism . One example of this is the building of churches over former temples and other sacred sites. These churches' decorations often have indigenous elements as well. Despite the fact that 91% of the population self identifies as Catholic, there are still many indigenous traditions related to the agricultural cycle. A more important syncretism has been

12900-452: The amount of conventional land, they are still an important part of the borough's agricultural production. There have been various attempts to save the remaining chinampas, including their cataloging by UNESCO , UAM , and INAH in 2005, and various reforestation efforts, especially of juniper trees. About an hour long canal ride from an embarcadero lies Isla de las Muñecas, or the Island of

13072-428: The ancient Aztec city of Tenochtitlan, which was founded around 1325. During the prehispanic era, the city developed in a planned fashion, with streets and canals aligned with the cardinal directions, leading to orderly square blocks. The island that the city was founded on was divided into four calpullis or neighborhoods that were divided by the main north-south roads leading to Tepeyac and Iztapalapa respectively and

13244-438: The area were constructed from adobe and wood from juniper trees, but today, most constructions are boxy cinderblock constructions, many of which are not painted. By the 2010 census its population had grown to 415,007 inhabitants, or 4.69% of Mexico City's total. What was the city of Xochimilco, now sometimes called the historic center of the borough, began as a pre-Hispanic city on the southern shore of Lake Xochimilco. After

13416-403: The area's look for tourists, businesses in the center agreed with the borough and INAH to change their façades to certain colors. Much of the borough's land is former lakebed. Its main elevations include Xochitepec and Tlacualleli mountains along with two volcanoes named Teutli and Tzompol . It contains two natural rivers called Santiago and Tepapantla along with the various canals, which

13588-504: The areas of the borough are still semi-rural, with communities that still retain many old traditions and economic activities. For example, San Antonio Molotlán is noted for textiles and its Chinelos dancers. San Lorenzo Tlaltecpan is known for the production of milk and there are still a large number of stables in the area. The most notable neighborhoods/communities include Xaltocan, Ejidos de Tepepan, La Noria, Las Cruces, Ejidos de Xochimilco and San Gregorio Atlapulco. San Francisco Caltongo

13760-525: The atrium has a mixture of Plateresque , Gothic and indigenous feature. The west gate has three arches, which represent the Spanish, indigenous and mestizo peoples of the area. This was the space where the first baptisms of the indigenous were done. The church/monastery complex is tall and has a fortress appearance, again something common for the time period. The church interior conserves its original 16th-century main altar, with four stories tall, contains indigenous, Italian, Flemish and Spanish influence and

13932-476: The battle, Cortés was almost killed when he fell off his horse, but he was saved by a soldier named Cristóbal de Olea. The battle was fierce and left few Xochimilca warriors alive. The invaders later raped and pillaged the city. According to legend, it was after this battle that Cuauhtémoc came to Xochimilco and planted a juniper tree in the San Juan neighborhood to commemorate the event. Pre-Hispanic Xochimilco

14104-541: The best and most fertile territories. Despite their entrepreneurial focus, cacicas also wielded considerable authority, acknowledged by native communities, the Spanish Crown , and the Catholic Church . Their status rivaled high-ranking Spanish men, with privileges like special treatment at religious ceremonies and even distinguished burial sites. This recognition extended beyond their ancestors, surpassing

14276-438: The birth of poet Fernando Celada , the birth of Quirino Mendoza y Cortés , composer of “Cielito Lindo,” and the commemoration of the meeting of Francisco Villa and Emiliano Zapata on December 4 in this area. However, most events are tied to religious activity and tradition, organized by volunteers called mayordomos. The mayordomia system is the most important social structure in the borough. The primary task of these volunteers

14448-462: The borough today. In the 1970s, the federal government began to replace the lost supply to the canals with treated water from the nearby Cerro de la Estrella . This is most of the water that now flows in the canals. The treated water is clear, but not potable due to bacteria and heavy metals . However, it is used to irrigate crops grown on the chinampas , even though the canals are further polluted by untreated sewage and garbage. The biggest threat to

14620-428: The building closed completely in 1978, then reopened as a museum and cultural center in 1994. The museum has permanent and temporary art and archeological exhibitions in addition to the many murals painted on its walls by José Clemente Orozco , Diego Rivera and others. The complex is located between San Ildefonso Street and Justo Sierra Street in the historic center of Mexico City. The Supreme Court of Justice of

14792-417: The building contains four panels painted in 1941 by José Clemente Orozco , two of which are named "The Social Labor Movement" and "National Wealth." There is also one mural done by American artist George Biddle entitled "War and Peace" at the entrance to the library. The Palace of Iturbide - this large palatial home on Madero Street #17 was built by the Count of San Mateo Valparaíso in the 18th century as

14964-508: The canals and their ecosystem is uncontrolled sprawl, mostly due to illegal building on conservation land. These settlements are polluting canals with untreated garbage and waste, and filling in canals to make "new land." There are thirty-one illegal settlements in the historic center, with 2,700 constructions. Ten of these are in the chinampas of San Gregorio Atlapulco, San Luis Tlaxialtemalco, Santa Cruz Acalpixca, and Santa María Nativitas. The borough and UNESCO are at odds over what to do about

15136-458: The canals and there still a rapid rate of deterioration 2,000 hectares of protected area. UNESCO has placed the most blame for the problems on the proliferation of illegal human settlements in the protected zone. Each year the borough loses six hectares of former lakebed to illegal settlements. According to the borough, about 90,000 people in Xochimilco live in illegal settlements, such as those in ecological zones, and 33,804 families live illegally on

15308-553: The canals to reach the lake. Another similar performance is called “Retorno al Mictlan “or Return to Mictlan , the Aztec land of the Dead, which is performed in the historic center of Xochimilco. After the Conquest , Spaniards began to build churches and monasteries in the various villages in what is now the borough. Typical of these is the monastery at Santa María Tepepan , constructed between 1525 and 1590. Today, Xochimilco has nine parishes and five rectories. The most important of this

15480-415: The canals. The most deteriorated chinampas are located in the communities of Santa María Nativitas, Santa Cruz Acalpixca, San Gregoria Atlapulco, and Ejido de Xochimilco. Together, these have a total of thirty eight illegal settlements. To repair a number of chinampas, the borough, along with federal authorities, has reinforced 42 km (26 mi) of shoreline, of the 360 km (220 mi) that exist in

15652-427: The center of Mexico City. However, with the pumping of underground aquifers since the early 20th century, water tables have dropped, drying canals, and all that are left are the ones in Xochimilco. The canals are fed by fresh water springs, which is artificially supplemented by treated water. This is because water tables are still dropping and human expansion and filling in of canals is still occurring, threatening to have

15824-464: The center of Xochimilco for over 400 years. However, the best known mayordomo position is not for a festival, but rather for the care of an image of the child Jesus called the Niñopa . The image is over 435 years old and has a following of about 25,000 in the Xochimilco area. It measures 51 cm (20 in) and weighs less than a kilo. The name “Niñopa” comes from the Spanish word “niño” (child) and

15996-573: The centro historicos is built with the rubble of the destroyed Aztec city. A number of people during this time, all Spaniards, accumulated vast wealth mostly through mining and commerce in the 17th and 18th centuries. This wealth is reflected in the various mansions scattered in the centro such as the Palace of Iturbide and Casa de Azulejos (House of Tiles). This house was built in the 16th century in Arab style but its namesake tiles were added in 1747 when

16168-401: The chinampas. The most problematic are those closest to the canals, which cause the most pollution. The area is also sinking 18 cm (7.1 in) per year due to over pumping of groundwater, and canals are being filled in illegally. The deterioration is happening so fast, that UNESCO has threatened to pull Xochimilco World Heritage Site status. Other major problems facing the canal system is

16340-457: The city are in serious disrepair and are in danger of being lost. Efforts to save these churches are hampered by disagreements between the Church and the federal government . Because these churches are both active religious institutions and historical landmarks, their legal situation is complicated. By law, religious institutions cannot appeal to the government for financial help, but agencies like

16512-497: The city center has climbed to over 5 billion pesos or 438 million U.S. dollars. According to the Historic Center of Mexico City Trust, this has led to the creation of 15,000 jobs and property owners in the area are showing interest in improving on their investments here. It has also attracted outside investment into the area. Tour buses , locally known as "Turibuses", are the most commonly used transportation for tourism in

16684-515: The city center included the construction of the new mayoral residence just off the Zócalo. The government has buried electric and telephone cables in the area, and replaced old asphalt with paving stones. It has also installed nearly 100 security cameras to help with crime issues. This paved the way for the opening of upscale eateries, bars and fashionable stores. Also, young people are moving into downtown lofts. To attract more tourists, there are new red double-decker buses. As of 2004, investment in

16856-459: The city from the mainland to the island of Tlilan. In this respect it was like another island city in the area, Tenochtitlan . Although no longer an island, the city center is still in the same spot. In 1376, Tenochtitlan attacked Xochimilco, forcing the city to appeal to Azcapotzalco for help. The conquest was unsuccessful, but Xochimilco was then forced to pay tribute to Azcapotzalco. Tenochtitlan succeeded in conquering Xochimilco in 1430, while it

17028-413: The city someplace to "get into and out of as fast as you can", seeing it as little more than an airport through which to make their connecting flights to resort areas like Cozumel . Until recently, many of the restaurants in the area, even the best, would close early to allow employees time to get home because the area was not particularly safe at night. Many of historic churches in the oldest parts of

17200-489: The city. Even though Spanish colonial buildings make up most of Centro histórico there are examples of different architectural styles Primary and secondary schools: From Aztec times, the Centro Historico used to be where the wealthy and elite lived. However, in the early 20th century, these classes began to move to areas west and southwest of the Centro, to neighbourhoods such as Colonia Juárez , Colonia Cuauhtémoc , Colonia Roma and Colonia Condesa . The Centro remained

17372-458: The colonial city. The city in turn, was the most important settlement in the south of the Valley of Mexico in the colonial era. It became a settlement of Spanish, criollos and mestizos , with the indigenous living in rural communities outside of the city proper. During the Siege of Tenochtitlan , Hernán Cortés attacked the city and the "great number of warriors" in it. During the battle, Cortes

17544-457: The colonial era. It received its current name in the 1970s to honor a delegate of the borough. This town center also has a large plaza and to the side of this, a large area filled with street vendors, many selling ice cream. There is also a “ Tianguis de Comida” or market filled with food stalls. This center underwent renovations in 2002 at a cost of sixty million pesos . Drainage and sidewalks were improved and security cameras installed. To improve

17716-568: The commercial, political and intellectual center through the mid 20th century although it was around this time that UNAM moved most of its facilities to the new Ciudad Universitaria . The reason for the decline of the city center was partly man-made and partly natural. In the 1940s, the city government froze rents so that until 1998 when the government repealed the law, tenants were still paying 1950s-level rents. With no financial incentive to keep up their properties, landlords let their buildings disintegrate. The 1985 earthquake took its toll on

17888-467: The continuance of urban sprawl, the remaining canals and protected land will disappear within fifty years. The canals of Lake Xochimilco were initially created along with artificial agricultural plots called chinampas . Chinampas were invented by the pre-Hispanic peoples of the region around 1,000 years ago as a way to increase agricultural production. On the shallow waters of the lakes, rafts were constructed of juniper branches. Onto these rafts floating on

18060-441: The current pulled one of the sisters all the way down the canal when Santana Barrera discovered the young girl while she was drowning. When Santana finally got to her she was already dead. He also found a doll floating nearby and, assuming it belonged to the deceased girl, hung it from a tree as a sign of respect. After this, he began to hear whispers, footsteps, and anguished wails in the darkness even though his hut—hidden deep inside

18232-421: The damage by introduced species and disease destroying native ones. Water lilies were introduced to the canals from Brazil in the 1940s. Since then, they have become a serious problem as their overgrowth depletes minerals and oxygen from the water. Up to 400 tons of the plant has been extracted from the canals monthly. In 2006, a Brazilian insect ( Anthonomus grandis ) was introduced to the canals to help control

18404-654: The dolls whisper to them. The dolls are still on the island, which is accessible by boat. The island was featured on the Travel Channel show Ghost Adventures and the Amazon Prime show Lore . It was also featured in BuzzfeedUnsolved where Ryan and Shane visited the island with a guide, who lead them around the island during the night. It was also featured on the show Expedition X in season 1 episode 3, where Phil Torres & Jessica Chobot explore

18576-581: The early 2000s, the government has infused 500 million Mexican pesos (US$ 55 million) into the Historic Center Trust and entered into a partnership with the Fundación Centro Histórico , an organization established by Carlos Slim , to buy dozens of centuries-old buildings for rehabilitation. The significance of this effort was recognized when, in 2006, the Historic Center was included in the 2006 World Monuments Watch by

18748-465: The economy of the Aztec Empire by the time the Spanish arrived. Today, only about 5,000 chinampas, all affixed to the lake bottom, still exist in their original form, surrounded by canals and used for agriculture. The rest have become solid ground and urbanized. In the center of Xochimilco, there are about 200 chinampas, covering an area of 1,800 hectares. However, one reason the number has decreased

18920-526: The efforts of Alonso Garcia Bravo , who supervised much of the rebuilding of the city. This reconstruction conserved many of the main thoroughfares such as Tenayuca, renamed Vallejo; Tlacopan, renamed México Tacuba, and Tepeyac, now called the Calzada de los Misterios. They also kept major divisions of the city adding Christian prefixes to the names such as San Juan Moyotla, Santa María Tlaquechiuacan, San Sebastián Atzacualco and San Pedro Teopan. In fact, most of

19092-420: The eighteen pueblos of Xochimilco hold major events for Day of the Dead , including costume parades, exhibitions, especially of altars, in cemeteries, museums, plazas and more. The Dolores Olmedo Museum has an annual monumental altar to the dead for the occasion As per traditions, the cemeteries of smaller communities such as San Francisco Tlalnepantla, Santa Cruz Xochitepec and Santa María Nativitas are lit with

19264-493: The elite class of Taíno society: they lived in a larger rectangular hut in the center of the village, rather than the peripheral circular huts of other villagers, and they had reserved places from which to view the areítos (ceremonial dances) and ceremonial ball game . Most importantly, the kasike 's word was law and they exercised this power to oversee a sophisticated government, finely involved with all aspects of social existence. The Spanish transliterated kasike and used

19436-539: The few 16th-century altarpieces to have survived and the only one similar to it in size and construction is located in the monastery in Huejotzingo , Puebla . There are seven other altarpieces , which date from the 16th to the 18th centuries. The one dedicated to Christ on the north side is from the 16th century, but it is incomplete at its base and sides. The one dedicated to the Holy Family dates from either

19608-729: The funding of the project came from indigenous leaders of the area, especially Martín Cerónde de Álvaro. In 1538, the Church wanted to bring the complex's Franciscans into Mexico City, but the local people opposed and won. However, in 1569, there were still only four monks serving over 5,000 native people. Soon after, the indigenous population was organized into neighborhoods for indoctrination and census purposes: Santiago Tepalcatlalpan, San Lucas Xochimanca, San Mateo Pochtla, San Miguel Topilejo, San Francisco Tlalnepantla, San Salvador Cuautenco, Santa Cecilia Ahuautla, San Andrés Ocoyoacac, San Lorenzo Tlatecpan, San Martín Tiatilpan, Santa Maria Nativitas Zacapan y Santa Cruz Acalpixcan. Major restoration work

19780-474: The glow of numerous candles and loved ones sit vigil over the graves. The best known event associated with Day of the Dead is the “la Cihuacoatle, Leyenda de la Llorona,” which is a spectacle based on the La Llorona spectre, which runs from late October to mid November. It takes place on the waters of the old Tlilac Lake. Spectators watch the event from trajineras that depart from the Cuemanco docks and travel

19952-594: The goal of constructing a large artificial lake for tourism and sports covering 360 hectares, ten times the size of the lake in Chapultepec Park . These would be divided into two parts called the Ciénega Grande and Ciénega Chica on the side of the Periférico Sur . It would also include the creation of a chinampa zone and areas for culture and commerce and elevated buildings over the two sides of

20124-574: The government app "Mi Taxi". Cycle rickshaws , known in Mexico as "ciclotaxi" (English for cycle taxi) were a commonly used means of transport to visit the spaces of the historic center, however their usage decreased significantly in the late 2010s. Cacique A cacique , sometimes spelled as cazique ( Latin American Spanish: [kaˈsike] ; Portuguese: [kɐˈsikɨ, kaˈsiki] ; feminine form: cacica ),

20296-467: The grounds. It is located on Calle Pedro Ramírez del Castillo. The La Asunción Colhuacatzinco Church is Neoclassical with arches serving as buttresses . It main altar is modern, from the end of the 20th century. This church is important due to its association with a number of traditions including the Burning of Judas on Easter Sunday and fireworks on frames called toritos. Good Friday is dedicated to

20468-456: The historic center of Mexico City, and bordered by the boroughs of Tlalpan , Coyoacán , Tláhuac and Milpa Alta . It extends over 125 km (48 sq mi), accounting for 8.4% of the Federal District's territory. It is the third largest borough, after Tlalpan, and Milpa Alta. The borough has an emblem, also known as an Aztec glyph , which is a representation of the area's spongy soil from which two flowering plants emerge. In spite of

20640-429: The historical center as well as many other parts of the city. This is a paid service which transports visitors to different tourist attractions and cultural points in the city center. The Mexico City Metro is the most commonly used means of transport for locals to visit the spaces of the historic center. The area is serviced by several stations. The Zócalo is served by Zócalo/Tenochtitlan metro station ; Allende station

20812-400: The interior of the building during the engineering works were removed on 28 November 2000. The Templo Mayor archeological site and museum, is the center of the ancient teocalli, located now just northeast of the Zócalo. It was demolished by Hernán Cortés in the 1520s and its location forgotten. The exact site was determined in the beginning of the 20th century, but the decision to excavate

20984-542: The king but rather to conserve a piece of art, according to the plaque at the base. It arrived to its final location in 1979. The Palacio de Correos de Mexico (Postal Palace of Mexico City) also known as the "Correo Mayor" (Main Post Office) is located on the Eje Central (Lázaro Cárdenas) near the Palacio de Bellas Artes. It is an early 20th-century building built in the style of an Italian Renaissance palace. It

21156-538: The lake area. This involves the planting of juniper trees and the sinking of tezontle pylons into the lakebed. These remaining chinampas are part of the Xochimilco World Heritage Site. Have since changed use and become residences and businesses. Those that remain agricultural are mostly used as nurseries, growing ornamental plants such as bougainvilleas , cactuses, dahlias , day lilies , and even bonsai . As they can produce up to eight times

21328-638: The last of the special privileges of colonial-era caciques were finally abolished. In contrast to the rest of the Spanish Colonial Americas, in the Andean region the local term kuraka was preferred to cacique. After conquering the Inca Empire the Spaniards administering the new Peruvian viceroyalty had allowed the kurakas or caciques to maintain their titles of nobility and perquisites of local rule so long as they swore fealty to

21500-466: The last of these canals disappear despite their importance to tourism. These remaining canals and their ecosystem was declared a World Heritage Site in 1987, with the purpose of saving them. An important part of this ecosystem is a willow tree called a “ ahuejote ” that is native to the shallow waters of the lake/canals. These stem erosion, act as wind breakers and favor the reproduction of a variety of aquatic species. Some of these endemic species include

21672-589: The local government for all the communities of the borough, whether part of the city or not. These offices are located on Calle Guadalupe I. Ramirez 4, in the El Rosario area. The borough has 11.4 km (7.1 mi) of primary roadway and 4,284,733 square metres (1,058.8 acres) of paved surface. Major thoroughfares include the Xochimilco-Tulyehualco road, Nuevo León, Periférico Sur, Avenida Guadalupe and Calzada México-Xochimilco. However, many of

21844-412: The many religious festivals that occur through the year, and the means by which these festivals are sponsored and organized. Much of religious practice in the borough is through symbolic processes that work to produce a kind of social cohesion. The most visible of these are the large civic/religious festivals. There is some religious plurality in the borough although they represent a very small minority of

22016-564: The most famous of these early colonial-era caciques are Hatuey from what is now Cuba and Enriquillo on the island of Hispaniola. Both are now respective national heroes in Cuba and the Dominican Republic. The Spanish had more success when they drafted the leaders of the far more hierarchically organized indigenous civilizations of Central Mexico. These Central Mexican caciques served as more effective, and loyal, intermediaries in

22188-426: The most important. The Xochimilcas were farmers and founded their first dominion under a leader named Acatonallo. He is credited with inventing the chinampa system of agriculture to increase production. These chinampas eventually became the main producer, with crops such as corn, beans, chili peppers , squash, and more. The city of Xochimilco was founded in 919. Over time, it grew and began to dominate other areas on

22360-414: The mysteries of the island & the dolls. The name "Xochimilco" comes from Nahuatl and means "flower field." This referred to the many flowers and other crops that were grown here on chinampas since the pre-Hispanic period. The first human presence in the area was of hunter gatherers, who eventually settled into farming communities. The first settlements in the Xochimilco area were associated with

22532-501: The new system of colonial rule. The hierarchy and nomenclature of indigenous leadership usually survived within a given community and the Spaniards' designation of caciques did not usually correspond to the hereditary or likely candidate from a given system of indigenous leadership. As a consequence, elite indigenous men willing to cooperate with the colonial rulers replaced their rivals who had better hereditary or traditional claims on leadership. The Spanish recognized indigenous nobles as

22704-545: The northern zone; Bellas Artes , Hidalgo and Juárez stations cover the Alameda area; and San Juan de Letrán , Salto del Agua , Isabel la Católica , Pino Suárez and Merced stations cover the southern zones. The Mexico City Metrobús service also covers the zone with the Line 4 route. Another commonly used form of transportation is the taxi service. These are regulated by the Mexico City government and can be summoned by

22876-418: The outdated drainage systems. In the process, artifacts dating from as early as the pre-Hispanic period have been unearthed. All over the historic center, streets have been pedestrianized, buildings have been restored, and new museums opened. In the 1990s, after many years of controversy, protests and even riots, most street vendors were evicted to other parts of the city. The impetus to bring things back to

23048-523: The park included a bandstand and gas (now electric) lamps. On the south side of the park, facing toward the street is the Hemiciclo a Juárez , which is a large white semi-circular monument to Benito Juárez , who is one of Mexico's most beloved presidents. Mexico City's Chinatown, known locally as " Barrio Chino ", is located on two blocks of Dolores Street, just south of the Palacio de Bellas Artes . It

23220-415: The plant. However, some need to be maintained because the axolotls are using them for reproduction purposes. Introduced species include carp and tilapia , which were introduced in the 1960s. However, these have been very detrimental to the native ecosystem, especially the axolotl, whose eggs they eat. Despite tons of the fish being caught in the canals, they are still a serious problem. Another major problem

23392-620: The plaza. It is all that is left from the first convent to be established in New Spain . To the south of the church is Plaza San Domingo. It is flanked to the west by the Portal de Evangelistas, which is a Tuscan colonnade with round arches. Scribes with typewriters and antique printing machines work in this Portal. Scribes offer their services to illiterate clients, often offering services similar to that of lawyers, counselors, and financial consultants. A statue of Josefa Ortiz de Domínguez ,

23564-412: The population. There are thirty six non-Catholic congregations in the borough with about seventy places of worship. Almost all are Protestant or Evangelical groups established by missionaries, mostly from the United States. The first was established 120 years ago, but most have been established in the last twenty years, with a small but growing number of followers. However, since almost all social activity

23736-518: The power of local political bosses , the caciques. In the post-independence period in Mexico, the term retained its meaning of "indigenous" leaders, but also took on a more general usage of a "local" or "regional" leader as well. Some scholars make a distinction between caudillos ( political strongmen ) and their rule, caudillismo , and caciques and caciquismo . One Argentine intellectual, Carlos Octavio Bunge viewed caciquismo as emerging from anarchy and political disruption and then evolving into

23908-423: The rank of notable figures such as Isabel Moctezuma and her lineage. The multifaceted roles of cacicas highlight their integral contributions to Mexican society under Spanish rule, demonstrating their adeptness in economic enterprise, societal leadership, and cultural influence across indigenous communities. An extension of the term cacique, caciquismo ("boss rule") can refer to a political system dominated by

24080-579: The residence was not a palace but rather another city. Santo Domingo refers to the Church of Santo Domingo and the adjoining plaza. Both are located three blocks north of the Mexico City Metropolitan Cathedral following Republica de Brasil Street with Belisario Dominguez Street separating the two. Officially known as the Señor de la Expiación Chapel, the church is located on the north side of Belisario Dominguez and faces

24252-404: The rise, and more rural communities have taken to vigilante justice. Residents state that this is necessary because there is insufficient police protection. Xochimilco has only one policeman for each 550 residents on average, and there have been complaints that police have taken over 30 minutes to respond to calls. The borough has a population of 368,798, but only 670 police and 40 police cars. There

24424-500: The same effect on water tables and canals began to dry. Since then reclaimed wastewater has been recycled to flow into the Xochimilco canals to supplement water from natural sources. However, this water is not potable, containing bacteria and heavy metals and the canals still receive untreated wastewater and other pollution Another major problem, especially in the past two decades has been the population explosion of Mexico City, pushing urban sprawl further south into formerly rural areas of

24596-1002: The serious environmental issues, 77.9% of the territory is designated as ecological reserve, 15.2% as residential and 4.6 as commercial and industrial. The borough is divided into eighteen “barrios,” which make up the old city of Xochimilco and fourteen communities outside the traditional city called “pueblos.” The barrios are El Rosario, Santa Crucita, Caltongo, San Lorenzo, San Diego, La Asunción, San Juan, San Antonio, Belem, San Cristóbal, San Esteban, La Santísima, La Guadalupita, La Concepción Tlacoapa, San Marcos and Xaltocan, The fourteen pueblos are Santa María Tepepan , Santiago Tepalcatlalpan, San Mateo Xalpa, San Lorenzo Atemoaya, Santa Cruz Xochitepec, San Lucas Xochimanca, San Francisco Tlalnepantla, Santa María Nativitas, San Gregorio Atlapulco , Santiago Tulyehualco, San Luis Tlaxialtemalco, San Andrés Ahuayucan, Santa Cecilia Tepetlapa and San Cruz Acalpixca. There are also 45 smaller divisions called “colonias” and twenty major apartment complexes. The city acts as

24768-425: The shallow waters by a pole. Up through the centuries, the valley lakes continued to shrink but there were still canals that linked Xochimilco to the center of Mexico City. In the late 19th century, Mexico City had outgrown its traditional water supplies and began to take water from the springs and underground aquifers of Xochimilco. Degradation of the lakes was fastest in the early 20th century, when projects such as

24940-524: The south side of the lakes such as Mixquic , Tláhuac , Culhuacan and even parts of what is now the State of Morelos . Xochimilco had one woman ruler, which did not happen anywhere else in Mesoamerica in the pre-Hispanic period. She is credited with adding a number of distinctive dishes to the area's cuisine, with inclusions such as necuatolli , chileatolli ( atole with chili pepper), esquites and tlapiques . In 1352, then emperor Caxtoltzin moved

25112-426: The structure by the uneven rate and extent of the sinking of the building provoked by the continuous settlement of the ground on which it stands. This began with the drainage of the lake of the Valley of Mexico initiated in 1607 and has continued with the reduction of the water-table caused by the pumping of water for use by Mexico City's rapidly expanding population. The last of the temporary props which had disfigured

25284-471: The term (cacique) to refer to the local leader of essentially any indigenous group in Spanish America . Caribbean caciques who did not initially oppose the Spanish became middlemen, serving as the interface between their communities and the Spanish. Their cooperation was frequently provisional. Most of the early caciques eventually revolted, resulting in their deaths in battle or by execution. Two of

25456-405: The water, lakebed mud and soil were heaped and crops planted. These rafts, tied to juniper trees, would eventually sink and a new one be built to replace it. Over time, these sunken rafts would form square or rectangular islands, held in place in part by the juniper trees. As these chinampa islands propagated, areas of the lake were reduced to canals. These “floating gardens” were an important part of

25628-410: The west-east road that lead to Tacuba and to a dike into the lake, respectively. The calpullis were named Cuepopan, Atzacualco, Moyotla and Zoquipan, which had subdivisions and a "tecpan" or district council each. The intersection of these roads was the center of the city and of the Aztec world. Here were the Templo Mayor, the palaces of the tlatoani or emperors, palaces of nobles such as the "House of

25800-532: The woods of Xochimilco—was miles away from civilization. Driven by fear, he spent the next fifty years hanging more and more dolls, some missing body parts, all over the island in an attempt to appease what he believed to be the drowned girl's spirit. After Barrera's death in 2001—his body reportedly found in the exact spot where he found the girl's body fifty years before—the area became a popular tourist attraction where visitors bring more dolls. The locals describe it as "charmed"—not haunted—even though travelers claim

25972-513: The word first entered the English language, defined as "prince". In Taíno culture, the kasike rank was hereditary and sometimes established through democratic means. As the Taínos were mostly a peaceable culture the kasike 's importance in the tribe was determined by the size of his clan rather than his skills in warfare. The Taíno kasikes also enjoyed several privileges that marked them as

26144-530: Was a colony of Spain from the late sixteenth century until the Spanish–American War of 1898, when the United States assumed control. The U.S. administration subsequently introduced many commercial, political and administrative reforms. They were sometimes quite progressive and directed towards the modernization of government and commerce in the Philippines. However, the local traditional Filipino elites, being better educated and better connected than much of

26316-639: Was a tribal chieftain of the Taíno people, who were the Indigenous inhabitants of the Bahamas , the Greater Antilles , and the northern Lesser Antilles at the time of European contact with those places. The term is a Spanish transliteration of the Taíno word kasike . Cacique was initially translated as "king" or "prince" for the Spanish. In the colonial era, the conquistadors and

26488-479: Was an island connected to the mainland by three causeways. One of these still exists in the form of Avenida Guadalupe I.Ramirez, one of the city's main streets. This causeway led to the main ceremonial center of the town, which was called the Quilaztli. The Spanish destroyed the Quilaztli during the Conquest, and replaced it with the San Bernardino de Siena Church, which would become the social and political center of

26660-462: Was baptized with the name of Luís Cortés Cerón de Alvarado in 1522 and he was allowed to continue governing under the Spanish. Evangelization was undertaken here by Martín de Valencia with a number of others who are known as the first twelve Franciscans in Mexico . Their monastery was built between 1534 and 1579, along with many chapels and churches in the Xochimilco area, a hospital in Tlacoapa and

26832-494: Was begun in 1948 and completed in 1956 and is 182 meters tall, antennae included. It is located on the corner of Eje Central and Juarez Streets. It was the tallest tower in Mexico prior to the construction of Torre Pemex. The building has survived two major earthquakes since it was built, one in 1957 and the other in 1985. The Museo Nacional de Arte (MUNAL) is the Mexican National Art Museum, housed in

27004-417: Was built between 1755 and 1783 as a temple for the adjoining hospital/hospice for priests. The church still retains its original function but the adjoining hospital and office sites have since moved into private hands with only parts of the original structures still intact and preserved. The church is also noted for the fact that it has sunk almost three meters since it was built. The José Luis Cuevas Museum

27176-403: Was centered on what was the city of Xochimilco, which had been an independent settlement from the pre-Hispanic period to the 20th century. The area's historic separation from Mexico City proper remains in its culture. While officially part of the city, its identity is more like a suburb. This historic center was designated as a "Barrio Mágico" by the city in 2011. The borough is center-south of

27348-522: Was dedicated to Jesus, then Candlemas and finally the Virgin of the Sorrows (Virgen de los Dolores). It officially became a sanctuary in 1951, declared by the archbishop of Mexico . In 1964, Xaltocán became a parish and in 1976, this church became the official parish church. The main celebration of the church is to an image of the Virgin Mary, which is said to have miraculously appeared in the pen of

27520-463: Was designed by Italian Adamo Boari, who also designed part of the Palacio de Bellas Artes across the street. The Museo de la Secretaría de Hacienda y Crédito Público is an art museum located at Moneda Street #4. It is housed in what was the Palacio del Arzobispado (Palace of the Archbishopric), built in 1530 under Friar Juan de Zumárraga on the base of the destroyed pyramid dedicated to

27692-493: Was done on the church in its decorative elements in the 1970s. This also included removing two schools that had been established on the large atrium area as well as banning commercial activities from the same. The church maintains is very large atrium , which was common to monasteries during the evangelization efforts of the very early colonial period. These atriums were meant to hold large congregations of indigenous peoples, who were ministered to by very few monks. The side gate of

27864-460: Was excused from Sunday worship and payments of the half real; his servants were not liable for community labor; he was exempt from incarceration for debt and his property from sequestration; he could be imprisoned for serious crime but not in the public jail; the caciques' names were to be listed among the nobles in official registers; and "all these privileges are to apply equally to the caciques' wives and widows." With Mexican independence in 1821,

28036-454: Was expanded. Manuel Payno in his novel "Los bandidos del río Frio" related a journey through here between San Lázaro and Chalco . In 1850, the first steam-powered boat traveled through here, connecting Mexico City with Chalco. Steam powered ships remained in Xochimilco waters from then until the 1880s, when they faded from use. Before, during and after, Xochimilco continued to make more traditional rafts, canoes and trajineras , pushed along

28208-494: Was granted the title of city by Felipe II in 1559. Through much of the colonial era, the city's native population was decimated by epidemics, especially typhoid . Despite this, and because of the apparent acceptance of Christianity, the Xochimilcas were permitted to retain a number of their traditions and their identity as a people. The area remained mostly indigenous for much of the colonial period. Its importance as an agricultural center with easy access to Mexico City meant that in

28380-579: Was inaugurated that was supposed to reach Tulyehualco, but never did. During the Mexican Revolution , the first Zapatistas came into the borough through Milpa Alta . They burned areas in Nativitas and San Lucas in 1911 and then stayed without further attacks. They then took the city of Xochimilco in 1912, burning the southern part. The Zapatistas then controlled most of what is now the borough. On 23 April 1913, 39 youths were shot to death in

28552-468: Was knocked from his horse, and almost captured by the Mexicans. The following day, Guatemoc sent ten thousand warriors by land and two thousand by canoe to attack the Spaniards, followed by ten thousand reinforcements. The Mexicans were defeated, and Cortes was able to capture five Mexican captains. Cortes then proceeded with his march. After the Conquest, Apochquiyauhtzin, the last lord of Xochimilco,

28724-494: Was not made until 1978, when electrical workers chanced upon an eight-ton stone disk depicting the Aztec goddess Coyolxauhqui . Excavation unearthed a pyramid built in multiple layers. This is the spot where, according to legend, the Aztecs saw their sign to settle from their wanderings, an eagle perched on a nopal cactus with a snake in its beak, which is still the symbol of Mexico today. The Nacional Monte de Piedad building

28896-491: Was one case of vigilante justice in 1999, when a youth accused of robbery was caught and beaten by residents before handed over to police. But the police did not pursue the charge. The Xochimilco Light Rail line, locally known as El Tren Ligero , of STE , provides light rail service connecting the borough to the Mexico City Metro system. Xochimilco is characterized by a system of canals, which measure about

29068-570: Was part of the Aztec Sacred Precinct (called the Teocalli) and contained the main tzompantli , or rack for the skulls of sacrifice victims. The first church was erected between 1524 or 1526 and 1532 and was elevated to the rank of cathedral on 2 September 1530 by Pope Clement VII . The foundations for a new cathedral were begun in 1562 and the foundation stone was laid in 1573 in the time of Archbishop Pedro Moya de Contreras and of

29240-474: Was ruled by Tzalpoyotzin. Shortly thereafter, Aztec emperor Itzcoatl built the causeway or calzada that would connect the two cities over the lake. During the reign of Moctezuma Ilhuicamina , the Xochimilcas contributed materials and manpower to construct a temple to Huitzilopochtli . They also participated in the further conquests of the Aztec Empire such as in Cuauhnáhuac (Cuernavaca) , Xalisco and

29412-573: Was the home of the first printing press/print shop in the New World . The house was originally constructed by Gerónimo de Aguilar in 1524 and is located on the outer edge of what was the sacred precinct of the Templo Mayor prior to the Conquest . Alameda Central is a public park adjacent to the Palacio de Bellas Artes , between Juarez Avenue and Hidalgo Avenue. It is a green garden with paved paths and decorative fountains and statues, and

29584-420: Was the main transportation venue, especially for goods from the pre-Hispanic period until the 20th century. In the pre-Hispanic period, parts of the shallow lakes were filled in, creating canals. Starting in the early colonial period, the interconnected lakes of the valley, including Lake Xochimilco , were drained. By the 20th century, the lakes had shrunk to a system of canals that still connected Xochimilco with

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