Mexico City Historic Centre
The heart of a great capital layered over an Aztec city - a UNESCO centre around the vast Zocalo square, with a grand cathedral, murals and the excavated Aztec Templo Mayor.
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Illustrative image - a scene in the spirit of the place, not a photograph of it. Real photos are below.
UNESCO World Heritage
Real photos (1)
The historic centre of Mexico City is a UNESCO treasure built directly over the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan, arranged around the Zocalo, one of the largest city squares in the world. Here rise the great Metropolitan Cathedral and the National Palace with its Diego Rivera murals, while beside them the excavated ruins of the Templo Mayor, the Aztecs' great pyramid, emerge from beneath the colonial city.
What you actually see
- The Zocalo - the vast central square, one of the world's largest.
- The Metropolitan Cathedral - the grand cathedral on the square.
- The Templo Mayor - the excavated Aztec great temple and its museum.
- The Rivera murals - Diego Rivera's murals in the National Palace.
When to go
Year-round; the dry season from November to April is most pleasant. The centre is lively and walkable, best explored by day, with weekends bringing events and crowds to the great square.
Honest expectations
It is a huge, busy capital, so the centre is crowded and, like any big city, calls for normal urban caution with belongings, especially in crowds and on the metro. The altitude of over 2,200 metres can leave some breathless. It rewards several days to see the museums and neighbourhoods.
Nearby
The Anthropology Museum, Frida Kahlo's Blue House and the canals of Xochimilco are elsewhere in the city.
What to pack for Mexico City Historic Centre
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.
