Mexico City Day 3 - Morning by Aaron, Templo Mayor, Metropolitan Cathedral, Palacio Nacional

Templo Mayor, Palacio Nacional

~ Aaron

     This 3rd day in Mexico City was very cool. The Templo Mayor was very interesting. The National Palace was home to many important things to Mexico. The National Palace of Fine Arts is a beautiful place. The National Museum of Anthropology is full of awesome artifacts. I wanted this day to never end.

Walking towards Templo Mayor

Our hotel - Hotel Emporio Reforma

Marathon practice on

Sunday morning

Marathon practice

Marathon practice

Street near Palacio de Bellas Artes

Alameda Central Park

Alameda Central Park

Palacio de Bellas Artes

Templo Mayor

The Great Temple

The Great Temple

Serpent at The Great Temple

The Great Temple

The Great Temple

museum entrance at far

The Great Temple

The North Red Temple

The North Red Temple

Gigantic aloe grows at

The North Red Temple

The North Red Temple

The North Red Temple

House of the Eagles

House of the Eagles

House of the Eagles

The North Patio

The North Patio

The North Patio

Drainage channel through

the Great Temple

Tlaloc Shrine

Tlaloc Shrine

Stage III of

the 7 enlargements of the Great Temple

Stage IV of

the 7 enlargements of the Great Temple

Serpent

The Great Temple

Museum at Templo Mayor

The Goddess of the Moon

Closer: Goddess of the Moon

Farther: God of the Sun

Sadly, the original color was washed

God of the Sun replica

color restored

God of the Sun, original disc

Goddess of the Moon replica

color restored

Goddess of the Moon, original disc

Zocalo Square model

Statue at the entrance

A serpent head statue
at the entrance
pointing to the human skull
stone carving collection wall

Dios Solor Xochipilli
1486-1502

A wall of human skull stone carving collection

Censers

Found in phase IV, 1469-1481

Collection objects manufactured
with obsidian

Collection objects manufactured with obsidian

Monumental battlements
upper parts of temple decoration

Relief of Tlattecuhtli

God of Death

Eagle Warrior

    

Tlaloc Merlos 

Tlaloc-Tlaltecu

Cipactli, the earth monster

puffer fish fossil

Manhole

The Great Temple

     The Templo Mayor was a very tall, and great symbol of power for the Aztecs, until the Spanish came in 1521, and destroyed the entire temples, except for the lower part. It is dedicated to the god of rain, and the god of war and the sun. Many small excavations were done on it during the 19th and 20th centuries. However, workers for an electric company found a disc showing the goddess of the moon while digging. In all, the Great Temple was enlarged 7 times! Construction of the first Templo Mayor began sometime after 1325. This first pyramid is only known through historical records, because the surface level of the underground lake prevents excavation. However, the first pyramid was built with dirt and wood, so they may not still remain.

Palacio de la Autonomia

Inside Palacio de la Autonomia

The foundation of The Great Temple

The foundation of The Great Temple

Metropolitan Cathedral

Street Performer at Metropolitan Cathedral

Aztec Medicine

where there is

fire & smoke

A statue in front of oldest chapel

of Metropolitan Cathedral

Oldest chapel of Metropolitan Cathedral

Interior of

Oldest chapel of

Metropolitan Cathedral

Main entrance of

Metropolitan Cathedral

Bell tower

Bell tower

Main entrance of Metropolitan Cathedral

Bells ringing at Metropolitan Cathedral

Main entrance of

Metropolitan Cathedral

Interior of

Metropolitan Cathedral

Interior of

Metropolitan Cathedral

Interior of

Metropolitan Cathedral

Interior of

Metropolitan Cathedral

Interior of

Metropolitan Cathedral

National Palace

Government building at Zocalo

Government building at Zocalo

National Palace

National Palace

National Palace

National Palace

Murals of Diego Rivera at National Palace

Mural of Diego Rivera

Murals of Diego Rivera

Mural of Diego Rivera

Mural of

Diego Rivera

Mural of

Diego Rivera

Mural of Diego Rivera

Mural of

Diego Rivera

Constitution and its amendments of Mexico

at the National Palace

Conference hall

Conference hall

Constitution 1812

Constitution 1814

Constitution 1824

Constitution 1857

Garden and statue of Don Benito Juarez at National Palace

Garden of National Palace

Possible part of the

Great Temple

Possible part of the Great Temple

National Palace

Statue of Benito Juarez
a person who served 5 terms
as Mexico President
in office: 1858-1872

Street outside of

National Palace

Benito Juarez, 1806-1872

national hero and president of Mexico

     The National Palace is very important to Mexico. The original bell Father Hidalgo rang is here. All forms of the Mexican Constitution are located here, including many revisions if not all. Murals painted by Diego Rivera are also located here, and he is one of the most famous Mexican artists. Ruins of part of the nearby Temple Mayor are right under the palace, but the palace will not be torn down.