Tlatelolco: A story of violence, sacrifice, and the birth of modern Mexico
Tlatelolco is fairly unique among archaeological sites in Mexico, as both its ancient and contemporary histories evoke intense feelings.
During antiquity
As the archaeological site of Tlatelolco is right in the heart of Mexico City, all that remains is its main core. But recently, a handful of structures have been restored around its periphery.
Tlatelolco proper was founded in 1338, 13 years after Tenochtitlan, though the area had been occupied under different names by Mesoamerican peoples at least 1,000 years before.
The largest temple at the site, known as the Templo Mayor, is at the core of the site and exhibits architecture similar to that of Teotihuacan, though on a smaller scale.
As is common with Mesoamerican sites in central Mexico, Tenochtitlan also houses several temples dedicated to the deities Ehecatl-Quetzalcoatl, and Huitzilopochtli.
Tlatelolco had been one of several powerful competing kingdoms before the foundation of the Aztec Empire by the triple alliance made up of the city-states of Tenochtitlan, Tetzcoco, and Tlacopan.
However, like Tenayuca, after the rise of the empire, Tlatelolco was folded into the Aztec hegemony but remained an important center given its proximity to Tenochtitlan.
Even after its folding into the Aztec empire, Tlatelolco is known to have hosted an enormous market where people from across Mesoamerica would gather to sell and trade goods, both basic and exotic.
The archaeological site is also home to a colonial structure built in 1526. It is called El Colegio de Santa Cruz de Tlatelolco, and it housed the second-oldest university in the Americas.
In Mexico’s modern consciousness
But as interesting as the history of this bygone age is, when contemporary Mexican hears the name Tlatelolco the first thing that comes to mind is the infamous student massacre of 1968.
The massacre, which is estimated to have taken the lives of up to 400 students, took place on Oct. 2, 1968, and was carried out by the Mexican armed forces.
The massacre came after several student demonstrations against Mexico’s federal government and Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), which had been in power since the Revolution and would remain the only party to occupy the presidency until the year 2000.
At the time, the protest was reported as a violent uprising against the state and Mexico’s upcoming 1968 Olympic Games. It had also been reported that the protestors had allegedly shot at the army first.
In a secret document declassified in the year 2000, it was learned that the Mexican state had positioned a large number of snipers atop surrounding buildings well before things had gotten so badly out of control.
Mexican journalist Elena Poniatowska, who was at the protest, collected a series of interviews which she would then publish in her much-acclaimed book Massacre in Mexico.
Despite the passage of time, the events of Oct. 2, 1968, in Tlatelolco remain fresh in Mexico’s psyche through the refrain “2 de Octubre no se olvida” — Oct. 2 not forgotten.
Because of its important role in molding the Aztec Empire, Mexico City, and the contemporary consciousness of the country, Tlatelco is much more than just an ancient market — for many, it represents the very essence of Mexico forged in sacrifice, blood, and renewal.
A monument marking the fall of the Tlatelolco to the Spanish Tlatelolco poignantly reads:
“On Aug. 13 1521, heroically defended by Cuautemoc, Tlatelolco fell to Hernan Cortes. It was neither a great triumph nor a defeat. It was the painful birth of the Mestizo (mixed-race) Mexico of today.”
If you go
Getting to Tlatelolco from any point within Mexico City is extremely easy, as there is a subway station of the same name basically right next to the site.
Entrance to the archaeological site is free every day. Gates open at 8 a.m. and close at 4 p.m.
Visitors follow an established path along an elevated walkway. Make sure to be respectful, as it is quite a solemn spot for many.
Senior Editor Carlos Rosado van der Gracht is a Mexican expedition/Canadian photographer, adventure leader, and PhD candidate. Born in Mérida, Carlos holds multimedia, philosophy, and translation degrees from universities in Mexico, Canada and Norway.
