This document provides information about Mexico City and some of its most notable landmarks. It discusses how Mexico City was originally founded by the Aztecs as Tenochtitlan and later became the capital of Mexico after independence from Spain. It highlights the Plaza of the Three Cultures as a symbolic location where the ruins of ancient Aztec architecture stand alongside a Spanish cathedral and modern government buildings, representing the blending of indigenous, Spanish, and modern Mexican cultures. Additionally, it describes popular destinations like the ancient city of Teotihuacan, the Pyramid of the Sun, the National Autonomous University of Mexico, and the Museo Frida Kahlo housed in the artist's former home.

1. Mexico City, Distrito Federal

2. Mexico City, Distrito Federal
A WebQuest about Mexico City
For Grade 8

3. Mexico City
• Mexico City once had the highest
population of any city in the
world, and it has hosted numerous
rulers over the course of its history.
Hundreds of years ago, the Aztecs
claimed the city from smaller
indigenous tribes and named it
Tenochtitlan. Ingeniously, the Aztecs
built a system of damns to keep the
city surrounded by clear, fresh water
at all times. In the 16th
century, however, Mexico City was
captured by the Spanish and later
became the capital of the new
Mexican Republic when the country
declared its independence from
Spain in the 19th century.

4. Fun Facts
• Mexico City has the largest Spanish-speaking
population (21.2 million people) in the world.
• Average temperature ranges from 42 degrees
Fahrenheit to 89 degrees Fahrenheit.

5. Introduction
• The Plaza of the Three Cultures, known as the
Plaza de las Tres Culturas in Spanish, symbolizes
Mexico’s unique cultural heritage. Once the
center of some of the most powerful Native
American empires (Aztec), Mexico became a
flourishing Spanish colony in the 16th century.
Today, most Mexicans are mestizos, or persons
with mixed European and Native American
ancestry representing a third culture, thus the
name of the area represents a mixture of all
three cultures.

6. Plaza de las tres culturas
• This is a square within
Mexico City where you can
see examples of three
separate cultures through
architecture: an ancient
Aztec ruin is found here, as
well as a Spanish
Cathedral, and a
contemporary (1960’s)
housing structure and
government building. Each
of these reflects a time in
Mexican history, making this
one of the more interesting
and reflective things to do
in Mexico City.

7. Plaza de las tres culturas

8. Plaza de las tres culturas
• Plaza of the Three Cultures:
Located at Lazaro Cardeuas Y
Manuel Gonzales Streets.
(Three Cultures Square)
• The structures which
represent the Three Cultures
are therefore the ancient
Aztec city of Tlatelolco, the
Colonial Cathedral of Santiago
9which dates back to
1524), and the Secretaría de
Relaciones Exteriores
(Department of Foreign
Affairs) building. These three
structures can all be seen
together at the same location.

9. Teotihuacan
• Teotihuacan – also written
Teotihuacán, with a Spanish
orthographic accent on the last
syllable – is an enormous
archaeological site in the Basin of
Mexico, just 30 miles northeast of
Mexico City, containing some of
the largest pyramidal structures
built in the pre-Columbiian.
Americas. Apart from the
pyramidal structures, Teotihuacan
is also known for its large
residential complexes, the
Avenue of the Dead, and
numerous colorful, well-preserve
murals.
• It is the most visited
archaeological site in Mexico

10. View of the Avenue of the Dead and the
Pyramid of the Sun, from Pyramid of the Moon
(Pyramide de la Luna)

11. Pyramid of the Sun

12. The Pyramid of the Sun
• The Pyramid of the Sun, on the east
side of the Avenue of the Dead, is the
third-largest pyramid in the world
(surpassed only by the Great Pyramid
of Cholula and the Great Pyramid of
Cheops in Egypt). It is the biggest
restored pyramid in the Western
Hemisphere and an awesome sight.
• The purpose of the Pyramid of the
Sun is not entirely understood, but it
is built on top of a sacred cave
shaped like a four-leafed clover.
Given the grand pyramid above, this
cave was probably regarded as the
very place where the gods created
the world.

13. The Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México
(National Autonomous University of Mexico)

14. The Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México
(National Autonomous University of Mexico)
• The Universidad Nacional
Autónoma de México
(National Autonomous
University of Mexico) in
the southern part of
Mexico City is a city in
itself. It is among the
oldest universities in the
Americas. This is the main
library, with its beautiful
mosaic design.

15. Museo Frida Kahlo
• Frida Kahlo is one of the
most famous artists in
Mexican history. Her
twentieth century
contributions to Mexican
culture are
astounding, and you can
see many of them here at
the home where she lived
most of her life. For art
fans, this is not to be
missed among attractions
in Mexico City.

16. Museo Frida Kahlo
• Housed in the building
where Frida lived with her
husband, painter Diego
Rivera, until her death in
1954, the Frida Kahlo
gallery not only displays
her work, but is a realistic
portrayal of affluent
bohemian life during this
period in Mexican history.
The colonial-style house is
also called the Casa Azul.
http://www.pbs.org/weta/fridakahlo/worksofart/index.html