Tlatelolco

Tlatelolco is a neighborhood in the Cuauhtémoc borough of Mexico City, located just north of the historic center on the city’s northern edge. The area encompasses an archaeological zone, a colonial church, and a large modern housing complex.

The site preserves a pre-Hispanic urban precinct associated with the Tlaltelolco area, including remains that illustrate the ceremonial and residential character of the late postclassic period within the broader Mexica city-state network. The colonial era left a marked imprint as well, with the construction of the Church of Santiago and surrounding urban structures that anchored the plaza area.

In the 20th century, the area became a focal point of modern urban development. The Unidad Habitacional Nonoalco-Tlatelolco, designed by architect Mario Pani, was built in the 1960s as a large-scale public housing project. The complex is known for its high-rise towers and interconnected courtyards, and it is regarded as a significant example of modernist urban design in Latin America.

On October 2, 1968, the Plaza de las Tres Culturas in Tlatelolco was the site of a crackdown against student protesters, an event widely referred to as the Tlatelolco massacre. The massacre is a key moment in Mexican political history and continues to influence memory and scholarship.

Today, Tlatelolco remains a densely populated district with residential, commercial, and cultural functions. The Plaza de las Tres Culturas continues to symbolize the layering of pre-Columbian, colonial, and modern Mexico.