Mexico City Zocalo

The Zócalo, officially Plaza de la Constitución, is the main square of Mexico City's Centro Histórico and one of the largest public plazas in the world. It sits on the site of the Aztec ceremonial heart of Tenochtitlan, and the surrounding buildings reflect the layers of Mexican history. On the north side stands the Metropolitan Cathedral, begun in the 16th century and built over roughly 250 years, with baroque, neoclassical and Churrigueresque elements. On the east side, the Palacio Nacional houses government offices and Diego Rivera's large murals of Mexican history on its main staircase, which can be viewed with photo identification at the entrance. Just northeast of the square, the excavated Templo Mayor and its museum, entered from Calle Seminario, display the foundations of the principal Aztec temple and thousands of recovered offerings. A huge flagpole at the center flies a national flag raised and lowered in a daily military ceremony, around 6:00 AM and 6:00 PM. The square also hosts concerts, demonstrations, an ice rink in winter, Day of the Dead installations and the Independence Day celebration on the night of September 15. The surrounding streets are lined with arcaded portals, historic shops and rooftop restaurants and hotels whose terraces give some of the best views of the cathedral, the flag and the Palacio Nacional at dusk. Most visitors spend one to two hours on the square itself, and longer when entering the cathedral, palace and Templo Mayor. Crowds are lightest early on weekday mornings and thickest on weekends and during large events, when parts of the plaza may be closed to the public. Entry to the square is free, though the individual buildings charge separately or have their own hours. Pickpockets operate in the crowds, so valuables are best kept in front pockets.