Tlatelolco has been one of the most important places in Mexico City since pre-Hispanic times, but with the construction of the Conjunto Habitacional Nonoalco-Tlatelolco in the 1960s, the importance of this area of the city was strengthened, since now it not only contained the pre-Hispanic and colonial history, but it was also the perfect example of the modernity created by Mario Pani and the architects of the time.
In 2018, Tlatelolco was declared Intangible Cultural Heritage of the CDMX, because not only architecturally it represents one of the most important modern works, but also fundamental moments in the history of the city, the evolution of culture and the adaptability of the city and its inhabitants. Therefore, this is one of our favorite spots in the city where we can find not only the archaeological site or the University Cultural Center, in its corridors, in the different playgrounds and in every corner of Tlatelolco it is possible to find details full of history that could go unnoticed.
Cine Tlatelolco and how it looks now
There was a time when the city's movie theaters looked like palaces and going to see a movie at the cinema was a special event, so Tlatelolco could not miss a movie theater. Thus, on September 23, 1967, the Tlatelolco cinema was inaugurated with the projection of the movie "La Hora 25" (The 25th Hour).
The cinema was located in the former "La Fabre" shopping plaza, where there were clothing stores, cafeterias and even a wedding dress store. Since the 90's, the cinema went bankrupt and by 2001 they stopped showing movies, so for 20 years the building was abandoned.
Soviet-inspired children's games
Tlatelolco was designed to accommodate all the needs of all its inhabitants in one place, so the playgrounds for the children who would inhabit the unit became an important feature within the housing complex. One of the most famous images of Tlatelolco is undoubtedly the rocket-shaped slide that was located in the first section, next to Guerrero Avenue. According to art historian Aldo Rojas, this game is inserted in the cold war era and the race between the United States and Russia to reach the moon. This slide is reminiscent of the Soviet rockets of that time.
Although this game was especially striking for its shape and height, the latter was the reason for several accidents, so it was decided to remove it. Walking through Tlatelolco we can find many playgrounds, some of them have been completely remodeled, but in others we can find some games in the shape of classic animals of the old parks, concrete street furniture, benches and tables to play chess and even some games in the shape of horses and other animals similar to those found in playgrounds in Japan.
Nicandro Puente's murals and the arrival of the 2000s
More than 20 years ago, the neighbors of Tlatelolco organized together with the Tamaulipan artist Nicandro Puente to create several murals in the housing complex, and although the initial plan was to create 10 murals, only 4 were completed and 2 more were left unfinished. All of these murals measure around 30 meters in height and were conceived as a way of uniting the community.
The artist, Nicandro Puente intervened the facades with the help of several volunteers, neighbors of the neighborhood, who not only helped paint the murals, but also participated in the choice of the themes of the works; eventually, this group formed the Urban Network of Community Muralism. In 2019, the mural "Tlatelolco, hero and martyr of freedoms", which remained for 18 years on one of the side facades of the General Anaya building was erased, so an important part of its legacy was lost.
In the second decade of the 2000s, new interventions were made in the buildings of Tlatelolco, one of the most famous was the one made by the artist from Valencia, Escif, in the framework of the All City Canvas Festival of the CDMX in 2012, in the Chihuahua building, one of the most important due to its location in the Plaza de las Tres. Many people say that this work refers to the events of October 2.
Centuries of history have passed through Tlatelolco and the lives and stories of many people have been captured there, and it has adapted to the new needs of the city and its inhabitants, where new places are always being found and some older ones rediscovered.
