Mexico-Tenochtitlan | ||||||||
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Model of the temple district of Tenochtitlan at the National Museum of Anthropology
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Capital | Tenochtitlan | |||||||
Languages | Nahuatl | |||||||
Religion | Mexica religion | |||||||
Government | Monarchy | |||||||
Historical era | Pre-Columbian | |||||||
• | Established | 1325 | ||||||
• | Formation of | 1521 | ||||||
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Mexico-Tenochtitlan (Spanish: México-Tenochtitlan, Spanish pronunciation: [ˈmexiko tenotʃˈtitlan]), commonly known as Tenochtitlan (Classical Nahuatl: Mēxihco Tenōchtitlan [meːˈʃíʔ.ko te.noːt͡ʃ.ˈtí.t͡ɬan]) was a Mexica (city-state) located on an island in Lake Texcoco, in the Valley of Mexico. Founded on June 20, 1325, it became the capital of the expanding Aztec Empire in the 15th century, until it was captured by the Spanish in 1521.
At its peak it was the largest city in the Pre-Columbian Americas. It subsequently became a cabecera of the Viceroyalty of New Spain. Today the ruins of Tenochtitlan are located in Mexico City's downtown.
Tenochtitlan was one of two Nahua altepetl (city-states) on the island, the other being Tlatelolco.