Tlatelolco is not a generic name for several unrelated places. In this guide it refers to the archaeological zone in the Cuauhtémoc borough of Mexico City, where remains of the Mexica city rise within a dense modern neighbourhood.
According to the chronicles cited by Mexico’s National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH), the Mexica city of Tlatelolco was founded in 1338 after a division within the group associated with Tenochtitlan. The two urban centres developed beside one another, with distinct political identities and a complicated relationship of competition, exchange and shared culture. Tlatelolco became known for its market and ceremonial precinct, while the archaeological remains show a city with its own temples, platforms and public spaces.
