When an Urban Layout Unified the World: From Tenochtitlan to the City of Mexico—The Emergence of a New Urban Model in the Early Modern Era
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: This article examines the interaction between European and pre-Hispanic urban traditions in shaping colonial urbanism in the Americas, with a particular focus on the transformation of the city of México over the remnants of ancient México-Tenochtitlan. It argues that the development of the viceregal city was not merely an imposition of the Castilian urban model but was significantly influenced by the pre-existing spatial organization of the Mexica capital. The study explores the extent to which the original urban layout of México-Tenochtitlan affected the planning of the colonial city, the similarities, and differences between Castilian and pre-Hispanic urban models, and the ways in which both traditions merged in the new metropolis. The methodology follows a historical-analytical approach, including documentary review, comparative analysis of urban models, and case studies of early colonial cities. The findings suggest that the city of México became a paradigm of hybrid urbanism, blending European planning principles with indigenous spatial configurations, which influenced later urban development in Spanish America.
Source: Histories
Authors: María Núñez-González, Pilar Moya-Olmedo
Institutions: Universidad de Sevilla, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid
Language: English
Subfield: Visual Arts and Performing Arts
Field: Arts and Humanities
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $1,207
OpenAlex ID: W4415371195