The town of long centuries, was the Aztec capital. It was located on an island in lake Texcoco, on an island surrounded by marshy shores of the valley of Anahuac. The lake surrounding Tenochtitlan, replete with all sorts of fish, mammals, edible algae and waterfowl. To the shore of Tenochtitlan was connected 3 wide dam crossings, in accordance with the number of city gates. The first dam led to Tepeyacac the store in Coyoacán, in the third and fourth Iztapalapa in Tlacopan. From the Western shore of lake Texcoco, the ancient capital of America was at a distance of one kilometer. The valley of lake Texcoco is a vast oval basin 64 km wide and 112 km length. In the southern part, which was formerly the capital of the state of the Aztecs, today is the capital of Mexico is Mexico city, built in the 16th century by Spanish conquistadors. High mountain ranges surrounded Tenochtitlan, today Mexico city is surrounded on all sides.
Tenochtitlan the South of the valley there is a two-dormant volcano – snow-capped Popocatepetl volcano and the volcano Iztaccihuatl. The arrival of Spanish conquerors, the capital of the Aztec state was more organized and extensive for its size than any other city in Europe of that era. For example, in London the 14-15 century lived 4 times less inhabitants than in the Aztec capital. In its short history, the Aztecs turned the ancient capital of America into a vast metropolis with more than 200 thousand inhabitants.
Some researchers believe that the number of inhabitants amounted to 250 thousands. Also Tenochtitlan ahead of a European city in area. According to some estimates, the area of the city was 12 square kilometers. The ancient capital of the Aztecs was divided into four quarters: Keepopen, Teopan, Maitlan, Iztacalco; and in the middle of the city was majestic ceremonial center included the Great Temple. Despite this, each of the four quarters of the districts had its temple complex.
Aztec capital was famous for its architecture, its territory was located a countless number of temples, schools, offices and ceremonial buildings. Most of them were built on special piles. Loose soil of the island on which was located the city of Tenochtitlan, did not allow the ancient architects to erect buildings in conventional ways. To a large extent on the architecture of the Aztec capital, was influenced by frequent floods with the subsidence of the soil. The inhabitants of Tenochtitlan was accustomed to the fact that at certain seasons they had to move through the water. The center of the Aztec capital giant ritual square with its many altars, temples and other buildings of religious need.
Above it all towered 45 meters high the Great temple, which was later destroyed by the Spanish conquerors. In fact, the Central area of the Aztec capital was a city inside the city total area of the buildings has reached 1200 square meters. Get into the ritual center of Tenochtitlan could only be possible by overcoming the heavily guarded main gate. Used ritual area for holding particularly important celebrations, public meetings and private rituals, particularly sacrifices. The capital of the Aztecs was well thought out from an architectural point of view the city. So, to supply the inhabitants with drinking water, the city has built a network of aqueducts, the main of which originated from the source of Chapultepec, located on the West side of the lake.
In Tenochtitlan, in all its parts, by the dam and the aqueducts were constantly brought clean drinking water. Was on site of the Aztec capital and its market. The description of the Spanish market, this was a great and well organized. As far as we know, the market has occupied almost the entire Northern part of the city – Tlatelolco. The ancient capital of America, despite its geographical position, was the agricultural center of the Aztec Empire. In the surviving codices of the Aztecs says that the Aztec peasants and farmers created a strip of fertile soil from algae and silt derived from adjacent wetlands. In fact, the capital of America supplied its own infrastructure. Data soil band called Cinnamomi, was very fertile: in some areas they were collected from five to seven harvests per year. Near the ritual center of the city housed the homes of the local nobility and the ruler of Tenochtitlan.
The Palace of the Emperor – king of the Aztecs was one of the most amazing buildings of the ancient city. Despite the fact that the Aztec capital was a huge city, most of the farmers lived on the outskirts of the city. Families in groups called calpulli. Each clan Tenochtitlan tried in a private residential area consisting of many one - storey houses- huts. Home for the most part, were huts, made of mud, sticks and other improvised materials. Despite a considerable number of inhabitants, capital of the Aztec Empire did not suffer from overpopulation. In one house lived two to 6 people. A married couple had occupied a house or a big room in a rare two-story buildings. The house of the nobles were very large, and often in the surrounding territories were located gardens and various outbuildings. In the gardens of Tenochtitlan grew fruit trees and herbs used in food or in medicine. From the estate of the appurtenances of nobility should be allocated to pools, built of stone and limestone.
Tenochtitlan – the city's attractions.
The Palace Of The Tlatoani. The Palace complex consisted of a dozen one-story stone buildings. The capital of the Aztecs – the city of magnificent architecture. In appearance, the complex consisted of a set of external and internal courtyards, as well as various premises. So, in buildings, in addition to the dwellings of the nobility and premises Tlatoani, were rooms of the court and Council meetings. A total sume Palace consisted of about three hundred rooms. The Spaniards in his chronicle wrote that on the territory of the Palace complex you could easily get lost. All inputs and outputs in the Palace complex, of which there were about 20, connected with patios. Some of the patio was the exit of the aqueduct, where water was supplied to all parts of the Palace.
The Palace was located outside of ceremonial centers. The Palace complex, like the ancient capital of America, possessed its own infrastructure. With him were: Arsenal, court house, Council building, weaving workshop, where women sewed clothes for the Emperor and his family, the jewellers? masters of metal, and other artisans. Some are only animals and birds cared about five hundred servants. The capital of the Aztecs - Tenochtitlan was rich in all sorts of Palace buildings. This is confirmed by numerous photos of the reconstruction of Tenochtitlan.
In addition to the Palace of the Tlatoani in the city was the Palace of Axayacatl. Building the back part of the left the majestic pyramid of the Aztec capital. The Palace was huge and had the function of Treasury, and part of the temple. Palace Axayacatl have fewer rooms, compared to the Imperial residence. In the rooms of the Palace could accommodate several thousand visitors. The most remarkable room of the Palace was walled in the Treasury created by the father of Montezuma II, and later pillaged by the Spaniards.
The great pyramid. The temple is pyramidal shape reaches a height of 45 meters. Its façade was facing due West. A wide double staircase consisting of 114 steps led to the top of the temple, where the platform was located two temples smaller. It is the two dominant temples of the gods: Tlaloc – God of rain and Huitzilopochtli, God of sun and war. Later, after the Great pyramid was destroyed and the stone blocks of the temple were used by the Spanish to the exaltation of the Catholic Cathedral, the greatest throughout America.
The great pyramid for his new story went through several stages of excavation. During latest research it was found many stone figurines and masks of Tlaloc, however, archaeologists failed to find the images, Etc. According to the Spanish Chronicles, his image was made of a special material – dough and seeds, and, consequently, are long decomposed. The great pyramid occupied a whole square, which could accommodate about a hundred ordinary houses. The middle of the Church took two of altar, seated on their idols gigantic sizes. One of idols was God of war with a large head, menacing facial features and fierce eyes: in one hand he held a bow; in the other was a bunch of arrows. On the neck of the idol was located masks with human faces, made of gold and silver.
The great pyramid of Tlaloc looked more catchy. On top of the temple they could see a chapel with a strange carving on it. The great pyramid of Tlaloc as well as the adjoining temple was guarded by an idol, a human - proamerica. In the temple kept most of the ceremonial utensils – small and large pipe, the enormous size of the drum, the sacrificial knife of stone. According to the Spanish chronicle,m in the Central city of the Aztecs was located about three hundred different temples and temple buildings. However, they were smaller than the Great pyramid.
Tzompantli. It was a building in the shape of an amphitheater with rows of skulls, teeth set out. Tzompantli was located near the main gate of the pyramids of the Aztecs. At the end of the building stood two towers, built of mortar and xota. On top of the towers housed the pins that skewer the skull of a defeated army. Ceremonial center of the city. Ritual area represented a huge site surrounding the Great pyramid. Each site was fenced with a double wall lined her smooth plates. Existed on the territory of ritual space and its women's school, where noble girls lived in strict seclusion, like a nun. Female school was famous for its traditions, so women who were novices, were trained for one year, after which were given married or have taken vows of service. For teaching in these schools were recruited girls aged 12-13 years.
Also on the ritual square of the capital of the Aztec state was located in the building in the form of a tower. The entrance is guarded by two stone structures in the shape of heads with open mouths. Inside the building kept the knives of sacrifice, pots and utensils for cooking sacrificial meat, and other ceremonial utensils.
The main market of the city. The area of the market was surrounded by arcades, and contain from 25 to 50 thousand visitors. The market was so great that the noise of it was heard throughout the capital of the Aztecs. The market was working seven days a week. Each trade was a separate place, and the most important goods were provided with their own trading platforms. The Aztec capital was the most important link of Empire, including in agriculture. Therefore, all products imported into the city, and marketed by local farmers, were tested. Money the Aztecs was not the function of the volute served cocoa beans, corn, slaves and other important goods. Urban levees.
Tenochtitlan on all sides was surrounded by lake Texcoco. However, the construction of dams was not so much a forced measure, as the ability to facilitate life. The dam was built gradually, in several stages. The dam was constructed of earth and wood. Almost all the dams were used for movement on them, some have fulfilled its direct function – to keep the water coming during the rainy season. The Aztec capital is a Grand city and buildings in it are appropriate. The largest dam reached 9 kilometers in length.
Aqueduct. The ancient city of the Aztecs, like any other major city needed a constant supply of water. For these purposes in ancient Greece and was built magnificent aqueducts. The dam was laid two channels, paved with limestone, and delivering in different parts of the city clean, fresh water. The Aztecs conceived of the ancient capital of America, as a well-designed city. When one aqueduct shifted or cleared, its functions were passed on to others, and so not one area of the city, did not suffer from lack of water.
Tenochtitlan – the history of the city.
1322 year. The ruler of the city Culhuacan expels the Mexica out of their lands, they subsequently move to the swampy lands of the valley of Mexico.
- On an island of lake Texcoco Tenochtitlan, the Aztecs erected. Wandering mishkaki, see the ancient prophecy. According to legend, the sun God of the Aztecs told them to settle in those lands where they will meet the eagle devouring a snake. These lands was the valley of Mexico.
- The capital of the Aztec state establishes a relationship with the neighboring tribes. Separated from the tribe of the Aztecs Tlatelolco base – a satellite city of the Aztec capital.
1390 year. On the territory of the Aztec capital finishes construction of the great pyramid.
1420-1470. In the city built a dam to protect the Aztecs from floods, supplying them with fresh water.
1473 year. The Aztecs subjugated the city of Tlatelolco, which declared itself a free city-state. - The process of the superstructure of the great pyramid.
- The Spaniards arrive in the Aztec capital.
- Cortez flees the city, driven by the Aztec warriors.
- The ancient capital of America is in direct conflict with the Spaniards. Starts the blockade of the city.
August 13, 1521. Tenochtitlan fell. After a seventy-day siege, the Spanish conquerors entered the city.