Visions of Vibrancy: Mexico City
The vibrancy of cities comes in all shapes and sizes. Many believe that what works in internationally known cosmopolitan settings may not be applicable for cities such as Jacksonville, which have struggled with embracing walkability. If we look hard enough, we may realize that this type of view should be challenged. Despite the diversity around the globe, all lively cities, downtowns, and urban cores have something in common: being pedestrian friendly. Today, we take a look at the streets of Mexico City.
Published April 8, 2016 in Cities - MetroJacksonville.com
Guest article courtesy of Moderncities.com
A short flight from many major American cities, Mexico City is an easily overlooked cosmopolitan hub worth taking a visit to. Originally established by the Aztecs in 1325 as Tenochtitlán on an island in Lake Texcoco, it was rebuilt with Spanish urban standards and officially called Ciudad de México (Mexico City) by 1585. "Mexico" was selected as the new name because the Spanish found the word easier to pronounce than Tenochtitlán. To relieve problems associated from periodic flooding, the Spanish drained much of Lake Texcoco in the 17th century.
Much of Mexico City's growth has occurred since the 1969 opening of the Metro, which is now the largest subway system in Latin America and the third busiest in the world, behind Moscow and New York City. Known for years as one of the world's most polluted cities, levels of signature pollutants are similar to those of Los Angeles today, making it a model for significantly reducing pollution levels. In recent years, in an effort to reduce air pollution, the implementation of the Metrobús bus rapid transit and the Ecobici bike-sharing program have made it easier to get around the city without the use of a car. With that being said, according to TomTom Traffic Index2016, Mexico City has grown to become the "most traffic congested city" in the world.
Nevertheless, with 8.9 million residents, Mexico City is considered an "alpha" global city and one of the most important financial centers in the Americas. Situated at an altitude of 7,350 ft, it's actually the largest Spanish-speaking city in the world and the 8th richest "alpha" city globally, after Tokyo, New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Paris, London and Osaka/Kobe. It's also home to a pristine urban park system, great architecture, culture and boasts one of the world's best street food scenes and has been declared by the New York Times as its number one destination for 2016.
Here's a brief photographic tour to help illustrate why Mexico City is a must see for any city lover!
Centro Histórico
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Centro Histórico or the historic center of Mexico City contains 9,000 buildings and covers 668 blocks. Here, the Spanish began to build modern day Mexico City in 1521 on top of the ruins of the Aztec capital, Tenochtitlan. The heart of Centro Histórico is dominated by the Zócalo, the largest plaza in Latin America. By the 1980s, the area had fallen into deep decline and its sidewalks had been taken over by pickpockets. However, since the early 2000s,
Centro Histórico has benefited from a significant economic resurgence. According to Wikipedia,
"All over the historic center, streets have been pedestrianized, buildings have been remodeled and restored, and new museums opened. In the 1990s, after many years of controversy, protests and even riots, most street vendors were evicted to other parts of the city. The impetus to bring things back to the city center included the construction of the new mayoral residence just off the Zocalo. The government has buried electric and telephone cables in the area, and replaced old asphalt with paving stones. It has also installed nearly 100 security cameras to help with crime issues. This paved the way for the opening of upscale eateries, bars and fashionable stores. Also, young people are moving into downtown lofts. To attract more tourists, there are new red double-decker buses.
As of 2004, investment in the city center has climbed to over 5 billion pesos or 438 million U.S. dollars. According to the Historic Center of Mexico City Trust, this has led to the creation of 15,000 jobs and property owners in the area are showing interest in improving on their investments here. It has also attracted outside investment into the area."
Centro Histórico, is served by several Mexico City metro stations including the Zocalo, Allende, Bellas Artes, San Juan De Letran and Pino Suarez stations. Free daily walking tours of Mexico City's historic downtown area are provided by Estacion Mexico.
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Zona Rosa
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Located just west of the historic center of Mexico City, Zona Rosa is a trendy district known for its shopping, nightlife, skyscrapers, monuments and restaurants. The district is centered around Paseo de la Reforma, a wide multiway boulevard modeled after the great boulevards of Europe and designed by Ferdinand von Rosenzweig in the 1860s. The main stop for the Capital Bus Mexico City Tour, a double decker tour bus featuring three routes across the city, is located in Zona Rosa at Liverpool #155, Colonia Juárez. Mexico City, Mexico. The heart of Zona Rosa can be accessed via the Mexico City metro's Insurgentes station.
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Bosque de Chapultepec
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Chapultepec is one of the largest city parks in the Western Hemisphere. Covering 1,695 acres, it's twice the size of New York City's Central Park. Classified as one of the world's greatest parks, along with Central Park, the Imperial Gardens in Tokyo, and Bois de Boulogne in Paris, it contains nine museums, amusement parks, lakes, winding paths and a zoo. It attracts as many as 15 million visitors annually. Bosque de Chapultepec is served by the Mexico City metro's Chapultepec and Auditorio stations. The main station for Turibus, a double deck bus that runs a touristic route that goes from Chapultepec Park to the Historic Center, is located at the Auditorio station.
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Roma and Condesa
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Roma and Condesa are considered to be artsy, bohemian neighborhoods straddling Av. Insurgentes just east of Bosque de Chapultepec and south of Zona Rosa. Dating back to the 1920's, Parque Mexico (Mexico Park) is considered the centerpiece of the neighborhood, and is home to many European features including fountains, ponds and walkways and an open-air theater. Visit Mexico offers more information for exloring this tranquil area characterized by its tree lined streets and public plazas.
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Coyoacán
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Coyoacán is a pre-Hispanic area of town that remained independent of Mexico City until 1857. Despite being engulfed by Mexico City's growth in the mid-20th century, much of Coyoacán's narrow streets, architecture and plazas remain, making it a must see destination. Free daily walking tours of Coyoacán are provided by Estacion Mexico.
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Polanco
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Known for its cultural diversity, Polanco is considered to be one of the wealthiest, most famous and exclusive districts in the city. Its Avenida Presidente Masaryk is comparable to New York City's 5th Avenue and Beverly Hills' Rodeo Drive. Polanco borders Bosque de Chapultepec and is served by the Polanco and Auditorio stations of the Mexico City metro.
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Santa Fe
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A major business district, Santa Fe is a rapidly developing district in the west part of Mexico City. It is home to several high-rise buildings surrounding the third largest enclosed shopping mall in Latin America, Centro Santa Fe. Anchored by El Palacio de Hierro, Liverpool, Sanborns, Sears, Saks Fifth Avenue department stores, and a 22-screen multiplex cinemex, Centro Santa Fe includes 4.3 million square feet of retail and attracts 20 million visitors per year.
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Article and photographs by Ennis Davis, AICP. Contact Ennis at edavis@moderncities.com
Full Mexico City Photo Gallery: http://photos.moderncities.com/Cities/Mexico-City-March-2016/
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