Britannica Web Sites
Articles from Britannica encyclopedias for elementary and high school students.
- Tenochtitlán - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up)
Located at the site of what is now Mexico City, the city of Tenochtitlan was the capital of the ancient Aztec Empire. It was founded in about 1325. According to Aztec legend, one of their leader priests, Tenoch, had a vision in which the god Huitzilopochtli instructed the Aztec to look for a sacred site marked by an eagle perched on a cactus and eating a snake. After much wandering, the Aztec found this sign on an island in Lake Texcoco, and there they founded Tenochtitlan. The city’s name means "Place of the High Priest Tenoch." The story of the city’s foundation is depicted on Mexico’s flag and official seal.