What if I told you that just a stone’s throw from the bustling Mexico City International Airport lies a place where emperors once bathed and ancient secrets linger? Welcome to Peñón de los Baños.
Peñón de los Baños is more than just a neighborhood. It is a rocky formation with a history stretching back millennia. Imagine this area as an island. It protruded from Lake Texcoco. It was a place of serenity.
Long before the airport roared to life, Peñón de los Baños was known as Tepetzinco. Tepetzinco means small hill in Náhuatl. Mexica royalty sought the hill’s hot mineral springs. They believed the waters held medicinal properties. Moctezuma himself frequented this place. He even ordered gardens and villas built here for his relaxation.
After the Spanish Conquest, the story of Peñón de los Baños took a turn. In 1539, Cortés granted it to conquistador Diego de Ordaz. The indigenous people then became his serfs.
Centuries later in 1759, Carlos de José Dueñas Pacheco acquired Peñón de los Baños. He rebuilt the baths. He also constructed a chapel. This chapel allowed patients to bathe and attend mass.
But in 1782, residents were relocated to Mexico City. The rocky mount was quarried for volcanic rock. Former residents protested for their return.
In the 19th and early 20th centuries, Peñón de los Baños transformed into an elegant spa. Restaurants, musical shows and hotel rooms were added. Later, in the 1930s, President Lázaro Cárdenas granted the dried lake bed to the descendants of the original residents. They used the land for agriculture.
However, in 1950, the government expropriated the land for airport expansion. The community still awaits compensation.
Despite these changes, the baths of Peñón de los Baños endure. They are open to the public. They are housed in an apartment complex. The waters still flow.
The chapel of Guadalupe also stands. It dates back to 1765. It is a baroque masterpiece. Legend says the chapel holds a hidden figure of the goddess Tonantzin. It was hidden during the evangelization.
Scientists like Andrés Manuel del Río and Alexander von Humboldt analyzed the waters. Emperor Maximilian and his wife Carlota visited often. Today, you can still experience these medicinal waters. The waters stay between 37 and 46 degrees Celsius.
Peñón de los Baños also celebrates Cinco de Mayo. It is a major event in the area.
Peñón de los Baños is a testament to time. It has evolved through indigenous reverence, colonial rule and modern development. It is a place of healing, worship and celebration. It is a place next to one of the largest airports. Yet it maintains its unique identity. So, next time you’re near the airport, remember the hidden history of Peñón de los Baños.