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Plaza de las Tres Culturas en Tlatelolco en la Ciudad de México photo by B.jars-

Top 10 Remarkable Facts about Square of the Three Cultures

The Square of the three cultures is one of the most relevant historical squares in Mexico City.

The square attained its name as a symbolic essence meant to represent three periods of Mexican history reflected by buildings in the plaza.

The Culture squares encompass an archaeological excavation, the college of Santa Cruz de Tlatelolco, and a massive housing complex.

The eras represented by the square are the pre-Colombian, Spanish Colonial, and independent nations.

The square is a dome of ancient history and holds the remnants of the past as proof of the events that can only be imagined by modern individuals.

Here are the top 10 remarkable facts about Square of the Three Cultures.

1. The square has the ruins of the Pyramids of Tlatelolco

Tlatelolco is an archaeological excavation site suited in the square of the three cultures and contains the remains of the pre-Colombian city.

Archaeologist unearthed the ruins of an 800-year-old pyramid at the excavation site, which suggest the ancient city of Tlatelolco is at least a century older than previously believed.

2. The square has the temple of Santiago Tlatelolco

the Santiago Church at the Tlatelolco archeological site in Mexico City photo by AlejandroLinaresGarcia –

The most dominant presence at the Plaza de las Tres Culturas is the church of Santiago Tlatelolco. The temple was constructed on the place where the Mexica’s resisted military attack during 80 days of the Aztec war.

In January 1522 Hernan Cortes decided to construct a city and erase any fragment of pre-Hispanic influence. He designated Tlatelolco as an indigenous lordship and Handmade Cuauhtemoc its ruler, allocating the name Santiago to honor the patron saint of Cortes troops.

The church was flanked by the hospital and college of Santa Cruz in 1536. The church was in service until the reform when it was looted and abandoned.

The temple has shifted roles over the years and it was even used as a warehouse and the convent turned into a military jail until 1944.

The temple was stripped of its original identity when the Spanish conquerors ordered the destruction of Mexica’s vestige and legacy. The prehispanic Sculptures were used to build the Santiago Apostle temple and to date, there is a fragment of a deity linked to the earth, Tlaloc which is preserved at the back.

3. The memorial of 68 museum was erected at the square

The museum known as the memorial 68 is a few steps from the site of the Tlatelolco massacre and it unfolds the story of the 1968 student protests in Mexico.

On October 2, 1968, in the Tlatelolco section of Mexico City, the Mexican army forces indiscriminately opened fire on a group of unarmed civilians in the Plaza de las Tres. The students organized demonstrations to protest police violence.

The government didn’t take the peaceful demonstration kindly as they soon sent the Mexican armed forces to wipe out the students under the pretext of suppressing the rebellion.

Regardless to say the massacre was perceived as one of the most horrific scenes in the history of Mexico and the death toll was estimated to be 3,000 bodies.

History can’t be swept under a rug More so tragedies and the museum of memorial 68 detail every step from the Pont of view of the university students.

The museum also contains a collection of police documents, original pamphlets, and newspapers from that time and even part of the door blown by the Bazooka used by the military.

 4. The Historical square has preserved the lovers of Tlatelolco

At the Tlatelolco archaeological site archaeologist found a mass burial site and excavated 54 dead victims of war, and among them were a couple who were found hugging hence earning them the name the lovers of Tlatelolco

The mass graveyard was believed to be a result of the war that took place in the year 1473 between Tenochtitlan and Tlatelolco.

Some of the bodies discovered were an offering to the gods between the age of 35 and 50. The lovers of Tlatelolco particular bodies were found in an embracing position.

5. The Tlatelolco archaeological site has several ancient temples

Zona_Arqueológica_de_Tlatelolco,_TlatelolcoT photo by TlatelolcoTV-

The plaza of the three cultures has the Tlatelolco archaeological site which is considered probably to be the most important in the city.

The archaeological site is organed with the history of the Aztec civilization and one can notice the several temples within the site.

The most notable temple is the temple of paintings, the buildings are topped with fists in high relief. The temple owes its name to the mural painting of its facades, panels, and Alfardas.

The other temple is the altar temple which is characterized by a glyph at the top of the southern Alfredia’s in this temple where archaeologists discovered skulls perforated by the Parietals.

6. The square has the Tlatelolco museum

The museum of Tlatelolco is a recent structure that was meant to accommodate the over 3000 artifacts and archaeological remains that were salvaged from the site.

7. The square has the oldest European School

The college of Imperial de la Santa Cruz de Tlatelolco was a center for education that targeted indigenous nobles in the valley of Mexico. It boomed from 1536 to about 1578.

It was established by the Franciscans to prepare the native American boys for the eventual orientation to the catholic priesthood.

The institution was heaven for learners and provided both the study of the academy and liturgical language which opened doors for innovations.

The official languages used at the institution were Latin and Nahuatl, the use of the local language allowed for the carrying forward of native ideas and the documentation of native beliefs and practices.

The building that housed the oldest European school is the home of the library and archives of the secret of foreign relations.

The two-story building is a proof and relic of Mexican history and is woven with thousands of stories and the traces of hundreds of people whose impact has shaped the looks of what is now Modern Mexico.

 8. The square has the largest housing complex in Mexico

Zona_Arqueológica_de_Tlatelolco,_TlatelolcoT photo by TlatelolcoTV-

The square of the three cultures hosts the largest housing complex in Mexican history and the second largest in North America, Conjunto Urbano Nonoalco Tlatelolco. The Complex consists of 102 apartment buildings and was constructed in 1960.

The complex was built with the concept of making it a city within a city and in fact, it was included with artworks such as murals and green spaces, such as the Santiago Tlatelolco Garden.

With time the complex was subjugated to deterioration and destruction from nature making it have its ghoul-like appearance today.

Today it has 90 apartment buildings consisting of three sections that were designed to house people from different economical strata.

9. The square of the three cultures was damaged by a massive earthquake

The square was greeted by tragedy on the morning of September 9, 1985, when Mexico was hit by an 8.1 magnitude earthquake.

The magnitude of the earthquake was so massive that it destroyed major parts of Mexico and the square of the three cultures was not spared.

The Tlatelolco complex had it rough as three of the segments of the Nuevo Leon building crumbled, killing all residents inside.

10. The Treaty of Tlatelolco was signed at the square

The famous Treaty of Tlatelolco was signed at the square of three cultures. The Treaty signified the prohibition of Nuclear weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean.

It was the first treaty of its kind covering a populated area of the world and was signed in 1967.