Mexico City, The Inland Atlantis – Things To Do In Mexico City

When Hernan Cortez and the spanish army under his orders first saw the great Tenochtitlan – back in 1518 – they were astound by the city´s size and beauty. Two hundred years before, the Mexicas had settled in a island in the middle of Lake Texcoco but it wasn´t until the Aztecs took over the city that it started to grow and became the jewel of its empire.

So Cortez and his people came to Tenochtitlan, destroyed it – which is an irony since they said it was beautiful – slaughtered its inhabitants, slaved the few aztecs that were left alive and rebuilt the city according to the spanish standars of that time, forgetting all the canal systems the aztecs had built before, they just drained the water that surrounded the city and forgot about what was beneath.

Bigger, drained and shaken by earthquakes over the centuries, Mexico City proved to have an incredible noble nature, standing still through all the battles and changes that came along while silently and slowly sinking into the lake bed. All the newly discovered archaeological sites, the colonial architectural jewels and many of its modern skyscrappers are doomed to sink at a ridiculously fast pace by the second half of the twentieth century.

Unlike Venice in Italy or Bangkok in Thailand which are located next to the sea, Mexico City stands or “floats” above the old Lake Texcoco bed, making it the perfect example of an inland Atlantis. So, where exactly can you look around and tell that the city is sinking?

Among the thousands of things to do in Mexico City, you can go and look for the areas of the city where you can see unleveled buildings but there are also specific places where you can actually feel it. Here are some of the places you need to see before its too late:

The Cathedral: The Metropolitan Cathedral located in the city´s central square or “Zocalo” is considered one of the architectural jewels of the spanish times. Built on top of an ancient precint that was part of the aztec´s Templo Mayor, it is the living proof of how much the city has sunk over the centuries. Just stand on front of its entrance and you will be able to see the crooked steps and how it is sort of leaned on its right side and once you are inside you may feel a little dizzy due to its unevenness. Despite the dizziness, you can appreciate the stunning art that is held inside this place.

Historical Centre: The city´s historial centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site as a whole. Its ancient aztec sites, the colonial buildings, the cobblestone streets. Take a stroll and you will be able to see beautiful buildings leaning on each other and beautiful stone and wrought iron balconies in all kind of weird angles.

The Angel of Independence: As one of the city´s most iconic places is an homage to the country´s centennial of the country´s Independence war. Back in 1910 it was a sole column placed on a roundabout with a few other statues. Today some 23 steps have been added since the city sunk around the statue.

Roma and Condesa Neighborhoods: These two neighborhoods are just off Paseo de la Reforma Avenue, in their streets you can find beautiful mansions and buildings from the early 20th century as well as some more avant-garde buildings from the 50s, 60s and 70s. Among the art galleries, author cuisine restaurants, cafes and hipster designer stores - not to mention the doggie parks – you can notice that the buildings are kind of… twisted. Some go below street level and some others a few steps above the ground, it makes it all very interesting to say the least.

Xochimilco: This uber famous postcard of Mexico used to be an independent town since aztec times. Located on Lake Xochimilco the area has hundreds of artificial islands called chinanpas and a vast canal system that used to connect the town´s centre with Mexico City´s centre up until 1950s. Today, Xochimilco is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, filled with flowers and colorful trajinera boats its also sinking about 18 centimeters per year. Maybe the scary dolls on The Dolls Island had something to do with it!

The reality says the great Tenochtitlan is sinking but don´t panic just yet, the city government has been putting major efforts to stop the situation or at least make it slower and because of it, we can say that the city will stick to its noble nature, fight against nature and stand proud above the lake bed… but still, why would you wait for it to be completely eaten by the muddy soil if you can visit it now? After all, life is too short not to be enjoyed and Mexico City is too large, diverse and beautiful to miss it!