Mexico City

Mexico City is the capital and largest city of Mexico, with a population of approximately 9,209,944 inhabitants. Located in the Valley of Mexico at an altitude of about 2,240 meters, it is one of the highest major cities in the world. The city was built on the ruins of Tenochtitlán, the capital of the Aztec Empire, which was founded in 1325 and conquered by the Spanish in 1521. During the colonial period, Mexico City became the political, religious, and economic center of New Spain.

Today, Mexico City is the country’s main cultural, financial, and educational hub. Its historic center, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, includes landmarks such as the Zócalo, the Metropolitan Cathedral, and the remains of the Templo Mayor. Other notable sites include Chapultepec Castle, Paseo de la Reforma, and the Palace of Fine Arts.

The city has played a major role in Latin American arts and intellectual life. Prominent figures born in Mexico City include poet and Nobel laureate Octavio Paz, painter Frida Kahlo, and footballer Hugo Sánchez.