“Little place of the Mexica” is what they called this area long ago. Today we stand before the Iglesia de San Marcos. This church is a testament to the enduring history of Mexicaltzingo. Mexicaltzingo is one of Iztapalapa’s original settlements. The well-defined atrium marks the front of the Iglesia de San Marcos.
Hernán Cortés claimed this town early in the colonial period. It was one of six towns he claimed. Before the Spanish, this altepetl surrounded a Mexica temple. Maps show the church’s location as early as 1555.
Mexicaltzingo was a Mexica outpost well before the Spanish arrived. The Mexica people operated a wharf here. You can still sense the town’s history on the Iztapalapa-Ermita Causeway. The old island is visible on a 1521 map. The Nahuatl name distinguished this place from Tenochtitlan.
The people of Mexicaltzingo traded with Culhuacan, Churubusco, Cuitláhuac, and Mixquic. Strategic marriage alliances fostered these relationships. Mexicaltzingo was responsible for the dam and causeway. This prevented brackish water from flowing west. The Spanish conquest ended this major hydrological work.
Surprisingly, these relationships continued through the colonial period. The Spanish and later the Franciscans replaced the Mexica. The church and convent of San Marcos Apóstol de Mexicaltzingo dates back to 1560. It was built on top of a ceremonial center. Franciscans desecrated the site beginning in 1560.
The Iglesia de San Marcos operated a graveyard in the atrium until the 1950s. The remains were moved inside the temple in 1959. Solomonic columns flank the church entryway. The floorplan is a Latin cross. A barrel vault with lunettes roofs it. The transept is capped by an octagonal dome. A lantern tops the dome.
The Iglesia de San Marcos is home to a Christ figure made of cane paste. Analysis revealed inscriptions in Nahuatl not Latin. This figure is likely made from recycled ancient Nahuatl codices. These figures are rare examples of codices that survived the Spanish conquest.
The neighborhood of Mexicaltzingo is east of the Metro station. It is near better-known sites along Line 2 of the Metro. As you explore, remember the layers of history beneath your feet. The Iglesia de San Marcos stands as a reminder of Mexicaltzingo’s past. It is a place where ancient traditions meet colonial influence. It is one of Iztapalapa’s liveliest original settlements.