The Aztecs (or Mexica)
who ruled much of Mexico between 1325 AD and 1521 AD, built the first township on the site that has become today’s Mexico City.

 

A group of travelling Aztecs chose the site in 1325, when their priests saw an eagle land on a cactus. The cactus was on a large island in Lake Texcoco. Something about this simple act of nature convinced the priests that this was the place to build a city.

 

They called their new city Tenochtitlan. To give themselves more room to build, they drained Lake Texcoco.

 

Remains of Tenochtitlan continue to be uncovered beneath the buildings of Mexico City today.

 

Mexico City is one of the world’s most exciting and colourful places, but it is also one of the most polluted.

 

Being surrounded by mountain ranges, pollution from cars and factories often becomes trapped in the air above this massive city. On particularly polluted days, children have to wait until the rush hour has passed before it is safe for them to make their way to school.

 

For over a decade, the government has employed measures to reduce the city’s pollution. Amongst them is the requirement
that cars and other automobiles stay off the roads for at least one business day a week. But even with these measures, Mexico City remains one of the world’s most polluted places.