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The Aztec History Directory
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 The City of Tenochtitlan
Historical Thread
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In 1325 the Aztecs occupied a small isle off the coast of Lake Texcoco, and founded the city of Tenochtitlan, and its sister, Tlatelolco. According to some views, the second city, Tlatelolco was founded by a seperate group of Aztecs who sought to be independent from those at Tenochtitlan. But whatever the case, almost from the outset, Tlatelolco was dominated by her fast growing sister.
In 1325 the Aztecs occupied a small isle off the coast of Lake Texcoco, and founded the city of Tenochtitlan, and its sister, Tlatelolco. According to some views, the second city, Tlatelolco was founded by a seperate group of Aztecs who sought to be independent from those at Tenochtitlan. But whatever the case, almost from the outset, Tlatelolco was dominated by her fast growing sister.
Tenochtitlan was built according to a defined grid layout. This grid layout composed of alternating 'zones', each of a different nature. For instance, one zone was for residential buildings, another for gardens, another for the elite, and another for trade - in many ways similar to modern zoning. The entire city was divided into four main sections: Teopan, Moyotlan, Atzacualco, and Cuepopan.
Each of these sections mirrored the other in layout, with the centre-point being a shrine to the great Aztec god Huitzilopochtli. They all had a huehuecalli, the residence of the quarter lord, who was in charge of his section. In addition, each quarter had a set of tlaxilacalli, which were bound groups one of which an Aztec had to belong too. Each tlaxilacalli acted as a sort of 'suburb' council, providing a temple, a maket, a plaza, a telpochcalli or Warrior School, and a calmecac, which was a school for scribes and craftsmen.
Rising from the centre of the city was the Great Temple Complex. Surrounding the Temple Precinct were the royal palaces and buildings of high ranking officials, along with the main city markets and squares. Places of entertainment, such a dualing rings, were also located near the Complex, and the entire city must have had an air of peaceful rigidness.
The Temple Complex itself, which rose many stories above even the tallest city building, was enclosed in a huge precinct wall, measuring at one point 500 by 500 metres, but for most of its history it was 400 metres by 400. Within the walls were dozens and dozens of temples and religious buildings, more often than not tied to warfare, and decorated in the Aztec fashion.
At the centre of the Temple Complex was the Templo Mayor: a huge religious pyramid, rising four or five levels high. Surmounting the pyramid were two shrines; one dedicated to the rain god Tlaloc, the other to the Aztec patron war-god Huitzilopochtli. A central stairway ran from the base right up to the shrines, directing the eye towards the focul point of the entire city.
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More Tenochtitlan info! *s* (* Tetisheri Tecumseh, Jun 30, 2004 - 12:38 ) The Aztecs [Book Review] (* Xolotl Huascar, Mar 1, 2004 - 08:04 )|
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