Zocalo Of Mexico City
Travel And Tour Photos And Pictures

George And Audrey DeLange

Constitution Square - Plaza de la Constitución - El Zócalo

This enormous paved square, occupies the site of the ceremonial center of Mexico-Tenochtitlan, the capital of the Aztec Empire. Ever since the time of Emperor Moctezuma, the area was surrounded by palaces, temples and other structures.

Today is the largest public square in the Western Hemisphere, and the third one in the world (after the Tiananmen Square in the center of Beijing and the Red Square in Moscow). It is the main square -its formal name is Plaza de la Constitución- and forms the heart of the city ever since the Aztec rule.

The word "zócalo" means base or plinth (in Spanish). The name of the square stuck after the attempt to erect a Monument to Independence, wich never was concluded.

El Zócalo is used for government/political rallies, protest marches, sit-ins, concerts and other festive events too all round year.

Every day at either 6:00 AM or 6:00 PM the Army has the ceremony of the raising and lowering of the Mexican flag in the center of the square. It's best view is from the roof of Catedral Metropolitana.

It is so very exciting to see La Bandera de México otherwise known as the Flag Of Mexico as it flies in the Zócalo. This flag was created in 1821, when the Independence movement had ended victoriously.

El Día de la Bandera or the Fiesta of the Mexican Flag is celebrated on February 24.

The symbols of the flag are as follows:

The emblem-shield symbolizes the Aztec heritage. According to a beautiful legend, the gods had advised the Aztecs that the place where they should establish their city was to be identified when they saw an eagle, perched on a prickly pear tree, devouring a serpent. They saw this mythical eagle on a marshy lake that is now the zócalo or main plaza in Mexico City.

Green: Represents The Independence Movement.

White: Represents The purity Of The Catholic faith.

Red: Represents The Spaniards That Joined In The Quest For Independence. The Blood Of The National Heroes

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La Bandera de México
La Bandera de México, Constitution Square - Plaza de la Constitución - El Zócalo

Zocalo
Constitution Square - Plaza de la Constitución - El Zócalo, Looking East
Photo From Top Of Observation Tower Of Latin America Building

El Zócalo
Constitution Square - Plaza de la Constitución - El Zócalo, Looking SE

Constitution SquarePlaza de la Constitución
Constitution Square, Looking EastPlaza de la Constitución
Looking South
Palacio NacionalNational Palace
Palacio NacionalNational Palace
Distrito Federal OfficesCatedral Metropolitana
Distrito Federal Offices
On South Side
Catedral Metropolitana
On North Side
Metropolitan CathedralMetropolitan Cathedral
Metropolitan CathedralMetropolitan Cathedral
Distrito FederalDistrito Federal
Distrito Federal Offices
On South Side
Distrito Federal Offices
On South Side
VendorsModel Templo Mayor
Vendors Between The Zocalo
And The Templo Mayor
Enclosure Holds Model Templo Mayor
Vendors Between The Zocalo
And The Templo Mayor
Enclosure Holds Model Templo Mayor

Metropolitan Cathedral
Basílica of Guadalupe
Trotsky Home Museum
Plaza Of The Three Cultures
Cuicuilco Ancient Circular Pyramid
Palacio de Bellas Artes
National Palace Mexico City

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