Which capital city was built on the site of the Aztec city Tenochtitlan?

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Which capital city was built on the site of the Aztec city Tenochtitlan? Mexico City was built on the site of Tenochtitlan.

The Mexica founded Tenochtitlan on an island in Lake Texcoco, in the Valley of Mexico, traditionally dated to 1325. It grew into the capital of the Aztec Empire, with causeways, canals, markets and monumental temples. At its height, it was one of the largest cities in the pre-Columbian Americas.

Spanish forces and their Indigenous allies captured Tenochtitlan in 1521 after a devastating siege. The Spanish then demolished much of the Aztec capital and used its remains as the foundation for Mexico City, the capital of New Spain. The new colonial city inherited the older settlement’s strategic location and central political importance.

The historic centre still contains visible traces of this layered past. The Zócalo occupies the area of the former ceremonial precinct, while the Templo Mayor archaeological site reveals parts of the Mexica city beneath the modern capital. Mexico’s flag also echoes the founding legend: an eagle perched on a cactus while holding a serpent.

Source: Wikipedia · fact-checked Aug. 2026

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