Mexico is a country about which few people know anything interesting. Most of the inhabitants of the planet know this state as a place where such masterpieces of cinema as Wild Rose, Just Mary, Rich also cry, and other soap operas that won the hearts of millions of residents of post-Soviet territories in the nineties, were born. Meanwhile, Mexico is a beautiful land with an ancient and magical history, amazing sights inherited from the Mayan prophets and unsurpassed nature that has been formed over the centuries.
The very first civilizations
The area of Mexico is 1,972,550 km 2 . In addition, its territory includes approximately 6,000 km 2 of islands located in the Pacific Ocean, the Caribbean Sea, the Gulf of Mexico and the California. Naturally, not all of these lands immediately belonged to the country. They were conquered, given, returned back, and so on until the state, known to modern man, was formed. Excavations of 1947, carried out in Tepespan and other possessions of the country, proved that no less than 22 thousand years ago the first man appeared on the territory of this part of America. By the fifth or sixth century BC, the first settled civilizations were formed here. They were engaged in the cultivation of legumes, pumpkins and maize.
Historians know several ancient cultures of Mexico. One of them is the Olmecs, who inhabited the modern area of Mexico somewhere from the XII to V century BC. e. The centers of this civilization were mainly located in Tres Zapotes, Cerro de las Mesas and La Vente. Today it is the states of Tabasco, Guerrero and Veracruz. The Olmecs had a fairly strong influence on civilizations, which arose a little later. Their prosperity dates back to the 4th-9th centuries AD. Today, these cultures are considered classic. These include the civilization of Teotihuacan, the Zapotecs, Totonaks, and, of course, Maya.
Parish of the Spaniards
Mexican lands were famous for their extraordinary wealth. The Spanish conquistadors were heard about their treasures. In 1511, a Spanish ship crashed near the Yucatan Peninsula. This was the first meeting between the peoples of Central America and the Europeans. Jeronimo de Aguilar - a man who managed to survive in that disaster. He stayed with Maya. Jeronimo mastered the language of this people, and eight years later became a translator on an expedition led by Hernan Cortes.
Mexico is a country that in 1517 simultaneously has to study and conquer. Diego Velazquez - Governor of Cuba - equipped several expeditions here. The first of them was headed in 1517 by Francisco Hernandez de Cordoba, the second was led by Juan de Grigalva in 1518. And the latter took place in 1519. Its head was Hernan Cortes. It was he who conquered the empire belonging to the Aztecs, and became the governor of those territories that were able to subordinate to their laws.
Mexico Attractions
Mexico is a state that has experienced much suffering in its lifetime. And witnesses of all these tests are, of course, the sights of the country. There are a lot of them here. Visiting all these amazing places is quite difficult. But there are some special exhibits that you just need to see firsthand. One of these is the mountain volcano of Orizaba. This giant reached a height of 5636 meters and is considered the highest Mexican peak. Orizaba is mostly called a mountain, but in fact it is not. After all, this is a real volcano. On the border of the XVI-XVII centuries, the largest number of eruptions occurred. During this time, there were as many as seven powerful explosions. After one of them in 1687, Orisaba fell asleep. The Aztecs called it Citlatepetl - a mountain that tends to the stars.
It is also worth a visit to Fort San Diego. This is a pentagonal building resembling a star in its shape. It is located in Acapulco. The fort was built to protect merchant ships and the city from pirates from Holland and England. San Diego was erected in the XVII century. This is the only historical attraction in Acapulco that has survived to this day.
The formation of the Mexican capital
The capital of Mexico is called Mexico City. But the city did not always bear such a name. Previously, it was called Tenochtitlan. The city was founded in 1325 by the Aztecs. There is a legend according to which, Witsilopochtli - the god of the sun - ordered the Indians to come here. He ordered the Aztecs to settle in the place where they would meet a proud eagle, which would sit on a high cactus and hold a snake in its beak. The Indians searched for such territory for a long time, but still found it and founded a settlement there. So on the western shore of Lake Texcoco appeared Tenochtitlan. He later became the capital of the Aztec power.
The capital of Mexico is an indescribable beauty. The first Europeans who were struck by the splendor of Tenochtitlan called it the Aztec Venice. This unsurpassed city has existed for almost two hundred years. He was conquered by the Spaniards, so he was badly destroyed. In 1521, a new city was created on the site of the ruins - Mexico City.
City of Contrasts
The capital of Mexico is a city full of contrasts. He either likes it at first sight, or causes irritation and a burning desire to leave him immediately and go to a place where it’s a little calmer. Unrivaled museums and buildings coexist with the neighborhoods of the poor, while ancient churches and fragrant parks, synonymous with the word "peace", border on noisy and busy streets. In short, Mexico City is a multifaceted settlement, it is special, unpredictable and bewitching, as, in principle, the country itself.
Museums in Mexico City
Museums in the capital are one of the main attractions of the city. Mexico, the capital of Mexico City in particular, is simply oversaturated with them. The most beautiful and impressive institutions are located here. First of all, I would like to note the Mexico City Museum. It is housed in a baroque palace. This building was built in the XVIII century and belonged to the count of Santiago de Calimaya, who was a descendant of the famous conquistador Cortes. The museum in this house opened only in 1964. There are 26 halls showing the history of the development of the capital of Mexico from the time of the Aztecs to the present day.
No less famous is the house-museum of Leo Trotsky. In it, the great publicist lived the last few months of his existence, and was killed here in 1940. The capital of Mexico is the city that provided political shelter to the famous revolutionary in 1937. On August 20, 1990, the house museum was officially opened. There is a public library in which Trotsky’s works, some of his documents are carefully stored.
Palaces of Mexico
Among all the attractions of this city, I would like to note the palaces, which are majestically located in their honorable territories. The capital of Mexico (see the photo in our article) boasts the Chapultepec Palace. This is a famous castle in all of North America. Here once emperors, presidents and governors of the country stayed. The palace is located on the hill of the same name, the height of which reaches 2325 meters above sea level. King Bernard de Galvez initiated the founding of the castle. Today, numerous excursions are held here, which are pleasant to all visitors, without exception.
The Palace of Fine Arts is another attraction that won the hearts of many travelers. This is an opera house, and it is located in the heart of Mexico City. The building is the largest building on the planet for the construction of which Carrara marble was used. The domes of this masterpiece of architecture are finished with Italian marble. And the interior of the theater was created by Federico Mariscal.
Latin american tower
As mentioned above, the country of Mexico (whose capital is Mexico City) is a state overflowing with contrasts. But besides them, paradoxes still fill him. One of them is the Latin American tower - an 183-meter building located in the center of the capital. This building is located in a seismically dangerous zone, but this did not prevent it from successfully surviving several powerful earthquakes.
The tower has 44 floors. And the construction was created not so long ago, in 1956. Today it is used as an office center. You can move from floor to floor by a high-speed elevator, which, by the way, is of two: one takes you to the 37th tier in just half a minute, and the other reaches 42 floors, where there is a cafe and an observation deck.
The day of the Dead
No, no, don’t be afraid, this is a traditional Mexican holiday. Just if you are lucky enough to visit the country when it will take place, be sure to visit it. The country of Mexico (the capital in particular) celebrates this day on the first and second of November. These events are an occasion for the whole family and friends to gather in order to pray and remember those who are no longer around. Not a single bank has been operating in the country during the celebrations. So, people go to cemeteries where they want to spend a little time with the souls of the departed. On the graves they build altars, on which they expose photographs, favorite drinks and dishes, memorabilia of one who rests in the earth.
The skull is the main symbol of this holiday. People celebrating the Day of the Dead cover their faces with masks, put on skeleton costumes, make skulls from chocolate or sugar, and write their names on the forehead of a kind of dessert. Perhaps for us it is somewhat wild, but there it’s in the order of things. Sweet skulls are presented as a souvenir to both the living and the dead. The capital of Mexico is called Mexico City, and in the first two days of November it can be called a dead city.
It will be interesting to you
Mexico is an amazing country, and the capital of Mexico is generally something unique. And there are things that will surprise every person for whom this region shows at least the smallest interest. So, here are some fun information about this state:
- Every year, 20 million people visit it.
- Brazil - Mexico - a football match held between the two countries in the summer of 2014. The game ended with a score of 0: 0.
- The pyramid called Chichen Itza, which is one of the seven wonders of the world, is located in Mexico.
- Mexican cuisine uses 80 varieties of pepper.
Instead of a conclusion
Mexico is the birthplace of everyone's favorite chocolate. It is also the only Latin American country to host the Olympic Games. So pack your bags, a fascinating journey awaits you!