Aztec Empire of Mexico

Aztec Empire of Mexico

Aztec Empire is the area known to have ruled and governed much of what is now Mexico from about 1427 until 1521. The empire represented the highest point in the development of the rich Aztec civilization that had begun more than a century earlier.

During their peak of power, the Aztec controlled a region stretching from the Valley of Mexico in central Mexico east to the Gulf of Mexico and south to Guatemala.

The Aztec Empire created an empire in the 1400s in the region that is now Mexico. Their capital, Tenochtitlán, stood on the site of present-day Mexico City. The empire was destroyed by the Spaniards in 1521.

Plaza of the Three Cultures After the conquest of the Aztec Empire, a new civilization was created in Mesoamerica, combining native traditions with European influences.

The Plaza of the Three Cultures in Mexico City symbolizes this blend: the ruins of an Aztec temple exist beside a Spanish colonial church, with a modern housing project in the background.

The Aztec built great cities and developed a complex social, political, and religious structure. Their capital, Tenochtitlán, was located on the site of present-day Mexico City.