Tlatelolcos

Tlatelolco is an archaeological site and a modern neighborhood in Mexico City. Originally, it was a separate city founded by the same people who established the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan. Tlatelolco was established in 1325 CE, just a few years after Tenochtitlan, and quickly became a major commercial center for the Aztec Empire. Its vast marketplace was renowned throughout Mesoamerica. The city developed its own independent political identity and even engaged in wars with Tenochtitlan, most notably the Salt War in 1473, which resulted in Tlatelolco's conquest by its neighbor.

Following the Spanish conquest in 1521, Tlatelolco, like Tenochtitlan, was largely destroyed and rebuilt by the Spanish. The site became home to significant colonial institutions. Most notably, the Convent of Santiago Tlatelolco was established there, serving as a crucial center for evangelization and education, particularly for indigenous populations. The Plaza de las Tres Culturas, a prominent public space in the modern neighborhood, stands as a symbolic representation of the pre-Hispanic, colonial, and modern eras of Mexico.

Tlatelolco is also historically significant for a tragic event in modern Mexican history. On October 2, 1968, a student protest in the Plaza de las Tres Culturas was violently suppressed by government forces, resulting in a massacre. This event, known as the Tlatelolco Massacre, remains a somber and important moment in the country's memory, highlighting struggles for democracy and human rights. Today, the archaeological remains and the historical context of Tlatelolco offer a layered understanding of Mexico's past.