The Founding of Tenochtitlan
Tenochtitlan, now Mexico City, Mexico (Templo Mayor area)
What happened
According to legend, the Mexica (also called the Aztec) left their homeland of Aztlan when their god Huitzilopochtli told them to build where they saw an eagle perched on a cactus eating a snake. Around 1325 they founded Tenochtitlan on an island in Lake Texcoco. They made the island larger with chinampas, small artificial islands, and joined it to the shore with raised roads called causeways.
Why it matters
Tenochtitlan became the capital of the Aztec Empire. The eagle, cactus and snake from the founding story appear on Mexico's flag today.
What came next
After a long siege by Spanish soldiers and their Indigenous allies, the city's rulers surrendered on 13 August 1521. Mexico City was later built among the ruins, and Lake Texcoco was drained.
Did you know?
Tenochtitlan grew to more than 13 square kilometers, and four causeways or canals divided it into four sectors.
Timeline
- About 1325The Mexica found Tenochtitlan.
- 13 August 1521The city surrenders after a 93-day siege.
- After 1521Mexico City is built on the site.