Mexico City,
the exact site upon which the great Aztec civilization flourished, is a
remarkable showcase of 3,000 years of cultural achievement. It is one of the
world?s oldest continuously inhabited cities and now one of its largest cities,
with a metropolitan area population approaching 23 million. The city has five
Aztec temples, the largest cathedral on the continent and 11 ecological parks. Mexico City?s Zocalo is the third largest square in the world and has
witnessed a wealth of historical, religious and political development since the
14th century. Xochimilco, with a population of
300,000, is just south of Mexico City.
It contains historic buildings, a main plaza, bricked streets, and an intricate
network of canals and floating plots of land whose origins date back to prehispanic times. Structures built during the colonial era
have been well-preserved.
