Resurrecting Tenochtitlan

Colonial motivations for constructing imposing ideological forms and monuments in conquest cities has been explored in the previous weeks, acquainting us with how architecture and urban planning can function to implement and signify political control. The symbolic design of these built forms can be retrospectively confirmed through this week's discussion: Spain's political motivations for the systematic destruction of the Aztec imperial capital, Tenochtitlan.

Remnants of the once great capital were entombed beneath the modern constructions of Mexico City (Figure 1). Excavations of this site have offered us information from which to render Tenochtitlan back to its original orientation and glory (Figure 2).  Archaeological analysis has confirmed that the Sacred Precinct of the Plaza Mayor enclosed the most important temples, shrines, palaces and Aztec state religious buildings.  This walled-in precinct deliberately diverged from typical Aztec city-planning standards in order to emphasize its importance and innovation.

Figure 1: Excavation of Mexico City reveals evidence of Tenochtitlan.

Figure 1: Rendering of Tenochtitlan's city-plan.

Fifteenth-century Spanish methods of domination were designed to erase former cultural identity and influence of the indigenous populations. The radical political transformation that took place in Mesoamerica during this time was reinforced by this decimation of Aztec building constructions.
Targeting the imperial capital of Tenochtitlan, the Spanish effectively represented their domination by practically razing the city, removing material evidence of Aztec identity and legitimate power.

The former Tenochtitlan's basic layout was preserved (Figure 3), providing the foundation upon which the Spanish strategically rebuilt architectural forms to assert their superiority over the indigenous population. Aiming for maximum effect in terms of imposition and orientation of surrounding buildings, the main temple complex at Tenochtitlan was dismantled and replaced by cathedrals and colonial palaces that served the ambitions of the Spanish crown (Figure 4).

Figure 3: Present-day layout of the former Tenochtitlan location.

Figure 4: Mexico City's main square currently rests atop of Tenochtitlan's original plaza and market.

IMAGES
Figure 1: http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4052/4632110046_c693c61c8d_z.jpg
Figure 2: http://www.vivamexico.info/Peintures/Autre/Plan-de-Tenochtitlan.jpg
Figure 3: http://img.weburbanist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/mexicaltitan-top.jpg
Figure 4: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Zocalo_Panorama_seen_from_rooftop_restaurant.jpg