The founding of Tenochtitlan on a small island in the saline waters of Lake Texcoco was one of the most consequential decisions in the history of Mesoamerica. The site was not an obvious choice for a major city. The island was small, marshy, and surrounded by salt-laden waters, and the Mexica had no experience of urban life on such a site. Yet the Mexica chose to build their capital on this unpromising location, and the city they built would become one of the largest and most impressive in the world. The decision to build on the lake was based on a combination of strategic, practical, and religious considerations.
The Religious Reasons
The most important reason for the choice of the site was religious. According to Mexica tradition, the god Huitzilopochtli had instructed the Mexica to settle only where they saw an eagle perched on a cactus, devouring a serpent, a sign that had been promised to them generations earlier. The Mexica believed that they had seen this sign on the island in Lake Texcoco in 1325, and they took it as a divine command to found their capital on that site. The image of the eagle on the cactus has become the central symbol of the modern Mexican state, and it is a direct descendant of the Mexica founding legend.
The Mexica also believed that the site was sacred for other reasons. The island was associated with the earth goddess, and the surrounding lake was considered to be a sacred place. The Mexica built the Templo Mayor on the site of the original sign, and they considered the temple to be the center of the universe. The Mexica also believed that the lake was a source of fertility and of life, and they developed the chinampa system of agriculture to take advantage of the lake’s resources.
The Strategic Reasons
The site also had important strategic advantages. The island was surrounded by water, and it was difficult to attack. The Mexica could control access to the island by the use of causeways and bridges, and they could defend themselves against the attacks of their enemies. The island was also well located for trade and communication with the other cities of the Valley of Mexico, and the Mexica were able to use the lake as a highway for the transport of goods and people.
The island was also well located for the control of the southern part of the Valley of Mexico. The Mexica were able to control the Tlatelolco market, which was the commercial center of the valley, and they were able to collect the tribute of the surrounding cities and towns. The island was also well located for the defense of the valley against the attacks of the Chichimec peoples of the north, and the Mexica were able to use the lake as a barrier against the invaders.
The Practical Reasons
The site also had important practical advantages. The lake provided a rich source of fish, waterfowl, and other resources, and the Mexica were able to use the lake as a source of food. The Mexica also developed the chinampa system of agriculture, which allowed them to grow crops on the lake margins, and the chinampas were extraordinarily productive. The Mexica were able to feed a large urban population on a relatively limited area of land, and the city grew rapidly in the years after its founding.
The island was also well located for the construction of the city’s infrastructure. The Mexica built a network of causeways that connected the island to the mainland, and they built a great aqueduct that brought fresh water from the springs of Chapultepec. The Mexica also built a great dyke that separated the salty waters of Lake Texcoco from the freshwater lake to the west, an engineering project of remarkable scale that allowed the expansion of the chinampa agriculture.
Related Articles
- Founding of Tenochtitlan — the broader context
- What does the eagle on the cactus symbolize? — the founding legend
- How was Tenochtitlan built on Lake Texcoco? — the engineering
- Chinampas and Aztec Agricultural Innovation — the agriculture
- Aztec Architecture and the Great Temple — the buildings
- History of the Aztec Civilization — the broader history