Zócalo/Tenochtitlan metro station

Pictogram of Zócalo/Tenochtitlan metro station. It features the silhouette of an eagle perched on a prickly pear cactus devouring a snake. Zócalo/Tenochtitlan
Mexico City Metro
STC rapid transit
Signage of Zócalo/Tenochtitlan station
Station platform after station renaming, 2022
General information
LocationPlaza de la Constitución
Cuauhtémoc, Mexico City
Mexico
Coordinates19°26′00″N 99°07′58″W / 19.433248°N 99.1329°W / 19.433248; -99.1329
Owned byGovernment of Mexico City
Operated bySistema de Transporte Colectivo (STC)
Line(s)Mexico City Metro Line 2 (Cuatro Caminos – Tasqueña)
Platforms2 side platforms
Tracks2
Connections
Construction
Structure typeUnderground
AccessiblePartial
Other information
StatusIn service[a]
History
Opened14 September 1970; 54 years ago (1970-09-14)
Previous namesZócalo (1970–2021)
Passengers
202315,940,778[1] Increase 115.58%
Rank10/195[1]
Services
Preceding station Mexico City Metro Following station
Allende
toward Cuatro Caminos
 Line 2 Pino Suárez
toward Tasqueña
Location
Zócalo/Tenochtitlan is located in Mexico City
Zócalo/Tenochtitlan
Pictogram of Zócalo/Tenochtitlan metro station. It features the silhouette of an eagle perched on a prickly pear cactus devouring a snake. Zócalo/Tenochtitlan
Location within Mexico City
Map
Area map and exits

Zócalo/Tenochtitlan metro station[b] is a station of the Mexico City Metro in the historic center of the city, in the Cuauhtémoc borough. It is an underground station with two side platforms, serving Line 2 (the Blue Line) between Allende and Pino Suárez metro stations.

Zócalo/Tenochtitlan metro station is located at the heart of the city's downtown, within the vicinity of the National Palace, the Metropolitan Cathedral, and the archaeological remains of Tenochtitlan's main temple, Templo Mayor, among other landmarks. The station's pictogram features the coat of arms of Mexico and it receives its name from the Plaza de la Constitución, commonly known as Zócalo, which is Mexico City's main square situated above the station.

The station opened on 14 September 1970 as Zócalo metro station, providing westward service toward Tacuba and eastward service toward Tasqueña. It was renamed in August 2021 to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the Fall of Tenochtitlan. The station facilities offer partial accessibility to people with disabilities as there is an elevator.

Inside the station, there is an Internet café, an information desk, a cultural display, a mural titled Cenefas conmemorativas del Bicentenario by Juan Carlos Garcés Botello and Jesús Cristóbal Flores Carmona, and a passageway connecting to Pino Suárez station, which features a free mini-cinema and several bookstores. In 2019, the station had an average daily ridership of 71,613 passengers, ranking it the tenth busiest station in the network and the third busiest of the line. Due to its location, the station may be closed depending on the events in the area.

Location and layout

A square with three buildings in the background. The entrance to Zócalo/Tenochtitlan station is located at one corner of the square.
The east entrance is located across from the corner of the National Palace (not pictured) and the Government Building of Mexico City (left).

Zócalo/Tenochtitlan is an underground metro station in the colonia ("neighborhood") of Centro, otherwise known as the historic center of Mexico City.[2][3] It is situated in the Cuauhtémoc borough and serves multiple notable landmarks, including Constitution Square (which is locally known as "Zócalo"), the National Palace, the Metropolitan Cathedral, and the archaeological remains of Tenochtitlan's main temple, Templo Mayor.[4]

There are six exits. The first exit is located to the east, next to the National Palace and the next one is on the opposite side, serving the Zócalo. The third and fourth exits are on Avenida Pino Suárez, on the south side of the square. One is on Calle Corregidora (near the Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation building) on the southeast, while the other is near the corner of Calle Venustiano Carranza. The remaining two exits serve the northern part of the square: one is next to the Metropolitan Cathedral, and the other is near the National Palace, close to the corner of Calle Moneda.[2]

A scale model of several Aztec pyramids and buildings.
Scale model of Tenochtitlan in 1521

The facilities are partially accessible to people with disabilities as there is an elevator.[2] Within the system, the station lies between Allende and Pino Suárez metro stations.[2] The bicycle sharing system, Ecobici, services the area.[5]

Inside the station, there is also an information desk and multiple murals titled Cenefas conmemorativas del Bicentenario (2010), created by Juan Carlos Garcés Botello and Jesús Cristóbal Flores Carmona.[2][6] The station also features a cultural display managed by the National Institute of Anthropology and History, which illustrates the history of the Zócalo with a scale model.[7]

The station has a corridor that connects to Pino Suárez station via an underground passageway on the south side, called Pasaje Zócalo–Pino Suárez. Opened in 1997, it includes 42 bookstores, a free library, and a mini-cinema.[8][9] Originally, it was intended to serve as a connection to a proposed station named Salvador, but the plan was canceled due to the proximity of the existing stations.[10]

History and construction

Line 2 of the Mexico City Metro was built by Ingeniería de Sistemas de Transportes Metropolitano, Electrometro and Cometro, the latter being a subsidiary of Empresas ICA.[3] Its first section, where Zócalo station is located, was inaugurated on 14 September 1970, running from Tasqueña to Tacuba metro station.[11] The tunnel between Zócalo and Allende spans 602 meters (1,975 ft) in length, while the section between Zócalo and Pino Suárez measures 745 meters (2,444 ft).[12]

In 1983, there were plans for the Zócalo station to be an interchange station connecting Line 2 with the proposed Line 8, which was intended to run from Indios Verdes to Pantitlán station.[13] However, the project was canceled due to inadequate planning and concerns about potential damage to historical buildings. The line was subsequently modified to run from Garibaldi to Constitución de 1917 metro stations, following a route beneath Avenida Eje Central.[14]

Since 2009, there is a free Internet café, the first of its kind within the metro system.[15] In December 2019, the turnstiles on the southern side were replaced with motion-sensor speed gates to prevent fare evasion.[16][17]

Name and pictogram

The pictogram represents the coat of arms of Mexico, which depicts an eagle perched on a prickly pear cactus devouring a snake.[2] The station is named after the Zócalo, the main square of Mexico City.[2]

The term zócalo originally means "base" in architecture.[18] In the era of Antonio López de Santa Anna, there were plans to erect a monument dedicated to the Mexican War of Independence at the square.[19] An 8 m (26 ft) long and 30 cm (12 in) high pedestal was constructed in 1843, but the project was canceled due to the Mexican–American War. The pedestal was eventually buried and remained uncovered until 2017. As a result, "zócalo" came to be used as a synonym for "square" or "plaza" in Mexican Spanish, and its usage eventually spread throughout the country.[18]

In August 2020, system authorities updated the station’s signage to "Zócalo/Tenochtitlan" and announced that the change would be formalized in a civic ceremony.[20] The station was officially renamed on 13 August 2021 in commemoration of the 500th anniversary of the Fall of Tenochtitlan, the capital of the Aztec Empire.[21] The formal ceremony took place on 19 August, during which Avenida Puente de Alvarado and the nearby Metrobús station, both previously named after the Spanish conquistador Pedro de Alvarado, were also renamed to Calzada México-Tenochtitlan and México-Tenochtitlan station, respectively.[22]

Incidents

On 29 March 1998, a drunk passenger began shooting at users, injuring a security guard who attempted to intervene.[23] Due to its central location, Zócalo/Tenochtitlan station is frequently closed by authorities for various reasons. It has been closed for national security concerns,[24] during the COVID-19 pandemic in Mexico,[25][26][27] for live events at the Zócalo,[28][29][30] and during protests in the area.[31][32] The station closed 358 times between 2019 and 31 July 2024—most of the tenure of Andrés Manuel López Obrador as president, with 162 closures resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. These frequent closures impacted local businesses significantly.[33]

The station has also been vandalized multiple times by demonstrators.[34][35]

Ridership

According to data provided by authorities, before the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on public transport, commuters averaged per year between 70,200 and 72,900 daily entrances between 2014 and 2019; the station had a ridership of 26,138,960 passengers in 2019,[36] marking an increase of 108,763 passengers compared to 2018.[37] In 2019 specifically, Zócalo metro station ranked tenth busiest out of the system's 195 stations and was the line's third busiest.[36]

Annual passenger ridership
Year Ridership Average daily Rank % change Ref.
2023 15,940,778 43,673 10/195 +15.71% [1]
2022 13,776,200 37,743 12/195 +115.58% [1]
2021 6,390,406 17,507 31/195 −10.73% [38]
2020 7,158,490 19,558 30/195 −72.61% [39]
2019 26,138,960 71,613 10/195 −1.07% [36]
2018 26,421,132 72,386 10/195 +3.01% [37]
2017 25,648,342 70,269 10/195 −3.86% [40]
2016 26,678,428 72,891 10/195 +1.71% [41]
2015 26,229,616 71,861 10/195 −0.66% [42]
2014 26,402,602 72,355 9/195 +4.59% [43]
Historical annual passenger ridership
2009 28,747,677 78,760 6/175 — [44]

Notes

  1. ^ Due to its location, the station is commonly closed depending on the activities occurring in the area.
  2. ^ Estación del Metro Zócalo/Tenochtitlan. Mexican Spanish pronunciation: [ˈsokalo tenotʃˈtitlan] ⓘ. "Zócalo" means "Main square" in Mexican Spanish; for the etymology of "Tenochtitlan", a Nahuatl word, refer to Tenochtitlan § Etymology.

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Afluencia de estación por línea (2022–2023)" [Station traffic by line (2022–2023)] (in Spanish). Sistema Transporte Colectivo Metro. 2024. Archived from the original on 27 January 2024. Retrieved 24 January 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g "Zócalo" (in Spanish). Sistema Transporte Colectivo Metro. Archived from the original on 27 February 2021. Retrieved 16 July 2021.
  3. ^ a b "Línea 2, Ciudad de México" [Line 2, Mexico City] (in Spanish). iNGENET Infraestructura. 20 July 2009. Archived from the original on 18 January 2021. Retrieved 16 July 2021.
  4. ^ Almaraz, Karla (11 September 2017). "¿Qué hay afuera de Metro Zócalo?" [What Is Outside Zócalo Metro Station?]. máspormás (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 12 September 2017. Retrieved 19 July 2021.
  5. ^ "Mapa de disponibilidad" [Disponibility map] (in Spanish). Ecobici. Archived from the original on 30 October 2021. Retrieved 30 October 2021.
  6. ^ "Cenefas conmemorativas del Bicentenario" (in Spanish). Sistema Transporte Colectivo Metro. Archived from the original on 12 July 2022. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
  7. ^ "Zócalo/Tenochtitlan: Metro de la CDMX cambiaría el nombre de una icónica estación" [Zócalo/Tenochtitlan: Mexico City Metro Will Change the Name of an Iconic Station]. Infobae (in Spanish). 27 August 2020. Archived from the original on 4 May 2021. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
  8. ^ Blancarte, José Luis (23 February 2011). "En estación del Metro, la librería más grande de AL" [In a Metro Station, the Largest Bookstore of Latin America]. Ciudadanía Express (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 5 September 2014. Retrieved 16 July 2021.
  9. ^ García Hernández, Arturo (15 April 2010). "El pasaje Zócalo-Pino Suárez se suma a la celebración por el Día Mundial del Libro" [The Zócalo-Pino Suárez passage joins the World Book Day celebration]. La Jornada (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 17 July 2021. Retrieved 18 August 2011.
  10. ^ "Estaciones no construídas del Metro" [Unbuilt Metro Stations]. Chilango (in Spanish). 27 July 2015. Archived from the original on 31 May 2018. Retrieved 5 November 2021.
  11. ^ Bátiz V, Bernardo (24 May 2021). "La torre de Villa de Cortés" [The tower of Villa de Cortés]. La Jornada (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 17 July 2021. Retrieved 16 July 2021.
  12. ^ "Longitud de estación a estación por línea" [Length from station to station by line] (in Spanish). Sistema de Transporte Colectivo Metro. Archived from the original on 4 May 2021. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
  13. ^ Sánchez Vázquez, Ma. de Jesús; Mena Cruz, Alberto; Carballal Staedtler, Margarita (2010). "Investigación Arqueológica en la Construcción del Metro" [Archaeological Research in the Construction of the Metro] (PDF) (in Spanish). Mexico City: Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia. Archived (PDF) from the original on 9 July 2020. Retrieved 9 July 2020.
  14. ^ Sarabia, Dalila (2 September 2019). "El Metro arqueólogo" [Metro, the Archeologist]. Reforma (in Spanish). Mexico City. Archived from the original on 17 October 2023. Retrieved 16 July 2021.
  15. ^ "Inaugura Ebrard el primer Cibercentro gratuito en el Metro Zócalo" [Ebrard Inaugurates the First Free Cybercenter at Zócalo Station]. Portal Político (in Spanish). 19 August 2009. Archived from the original on 15 October 2021. Retrieved 15 October 2021.
  16. ^ Hernández, Eduardo (23 December 2019). "Nuevos torniquetes en el Metro" [New Turnstiles in the Metro]. El Universal (in Spanish). Mexico City. Archived from the original on 25 May 2020. Retrieved 19 July 2021.
  17. ^ Enríquez, Daniela (23 December 2019). "Cambian en Metro Zócalo torniquetes por puertas de cristal" [Turnstiles Replaced with Crystal Doors in Zócalo Metro Station]. El Sol de México (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 25 February 2021. Retrieved 19 July 2021.
  18. ^ a b "Zócalo: la curiosa historia de por qué se le llama así a las plazas principales de ciudades y pueblos en México" [Zócalo: the curious history of why the main squares of cities and towns in Mexico are called that]. BBC News (in Spanish). 6 September 2019. Archived from the original on 11 December 2020. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
  19. ^ "Zócalo, Universidad y Ecatepec: todo lo que querías saber sobre los íconos del metro de la CDMX" [Zócalo, Universidad and Ecatepec: All You Wanted to Know About the Icons of the Mexico City Metro]. Infobae (in Spanish). 3 July 2021. Archived from the original on 3 July 2021. Retrieved 19 July 2021.
  20. ^ Stettin, Cinthya (26 August 2021). "¿Metro Zócalo-Tenochtitlan? Aseguran que cambiarán nombre de estación de L2" [Zócalo-Tenochtitlan Station? It's Reported That the Name of the L2 Station Will be Changed]. Milenio (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 4 September 2020. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
  21. ^ Pantoja, Sara (14 July 2021). "La estación Zócalo del Metro cambiará de nombre a partir de esta fecha" [Zócalo Metro Station Will Be Renamed on This Date]. Proceso. Mexico City. Archived from the original on 15 July 2021. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
  22. ^ Cruz, Alejandro (19 August 2021). "Cambian nombre a Puente de Alvarado por Calzada México-Tenochtitlan" [Puente de Alvarado is Renamed to Calzada México-Tenochtitlan]. La Jornada. Mexico City. Archived from the original on 19 August 2021. Retrieved 22 August 2021.
  23. ^ Nájar, Alberto (10 May 1998). "Todo el Metro" [All About the Metro]. La Jornada (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 5 June 2020. Retrieved 12 September 2021.
  24. ^ Hernández, Eduardo (6 June 2021). "Cierran lunes y martes Metro Zócalo por reunión de AMLO y Kamala Harris" [Zócalo Metro Station Closes on Monday and Tuesday Due to Meeting Between AMLO and Kamala Harris]. El Universal (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 7 June 2021. Retrieved 21 July 2021.
  25. ^ Mendoza, Janayna (7 December 2020). "Metro de CdMx cerrará estaciones Zócalo y Allende como medida ante covid-19" [Mexico City Metro Will Close Zócalo and Allende Stations as a Measure Against COVID-19]. Milenio (in Spanish). Mexico City. Archived from the original on 22 December 2020. Retrieved 21 July 2021.
  26. ^ "Metro capitalino cierra la estación Zócalo hasta nuevo aviso" [Mexico City Metro Closes Zócalo Station Until Further Notice]. Proyecto 40 (in Spanish). 27 September 2020. Archived from the original on 28 February 2021. Retrieved 21 July 2021.
  27. ^ "Cierran acceso al Zócalo de la CDMX por Covid-19" [Mexico City's Zócalo Access Closed Due to COVID-19]. Periódico Viaje (in Spanish). 2 April 2020. Archived from the original on 2 March 2021. Retrieved 21 July 2021.
  28. ^ "Cierran estación Zócalo del Metro por desfile de Día de Muertos" [Zócalo Metro Station Closed Due to Day of the Dead Parade]. Excélsior (in Spanish). Mexico City. 27 October 2018. Archived from the original on 7 November 2018. Retrieved 21 July 2021.
  29. ^ Notimex (14 September 2017). "Cerrarán Metro Zócalo durante Fiestas Patrias" [Zócalo Metro Station Will Close During the Patriotic Holidays]. El Universal (in Spanish). Mexico City. Archived from the original on 27 November 2020.
  30. ^ "Cierran estación Zócalo 4 y 5 de marzo" [Zócalo Station Closes on 4 and 5 March]. unomásuno (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 4 March 2021. Retrieved 21 July 2021.
  31. ^ Ángeles Rivero, María del Rocío (31 July 2020). "Cierran estación Zócalo de la Línea 2 del Metro por manifestantes" [Zócalo Station on Line 2 of the Metro Closed Due to Protesters]. Noticieros Televisa (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 20 November 2020. Retrieved 21 July 2021.
  32. ^ "Cierran estación Zócalo del Metro en #8M" [Zócalo Metro Station Closed on #8M]. Excélsior. 8 March 2021. Archived from the original on 11 March 2021. Retrieved 21 July 2021.
  33. ^ Martínez, Marco Antonio (10 October 2024). "Estación Zócalo del Metro CDMX, cerrada durante casi un año" [Zócalo Station of the Mexico City Metro Closed for Almost a Year]. La Silla Rota (in Spanish). Retrieved 11 October 2024.
  34. ^ Ángeles Rivero, María del Rocío (26 September 2019). "Cierran estación Zócalo del Metro por actos vandálicos en marcha por Ayotzinapa" [Zócalo Metro Station Closed Due to Vandalism During Ayotzinapa Protests]. Noticieros Televisa (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 20 March 2020. Retrieved 21 July 2021.
  35. ^ Corona, Salvador (13 May 2021). "Torniquetes y lectores de las Líneas 1, 2 y B, inservibles" [Lines 1, 2 and B's Turnstiles and Card Readers Are Unusable]. El Universal (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 13 May 2021. Retrieved 21 July 2021.
  36. ^ a b c "Afluencia de estación por línea 2019" [Station traffic by line in 2019] (in Spanish). Sistema Transporte Colectivo Metro. 2020. Archived from the original on 3 July 2020. Retrieved 3 May 2020.
  37. ^ a b "Afluencia de estación por línea 2018" [Station traffic by line in 2018] (in Spanish). Sistema Transporte Colectivo Metro. 2019. Archived from the original on 6 June 2019. Retrieved 7 April 2020.
  38. ^ "Afluencia de estación por línea 2021" [Station traffic by line in 2021] (in Spanish). Sistema Transporte Colectivo Metro. 2022. Archived from the original on 7 March 2022. Retrieved 7 March 2022.
  39. ^ "Afluencia de estación por línea 2020" [Station traffic by line in 2020] (in Spanish). Sistema Transporte Colectivo Metro. 2021. Archived from the original on 21 June 2021. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
  40. ^ "Afluencia de estación por línea 2017" [Station traffic by line in 2017] (in Spanish). Sistema Transporte Colectivo Metro. 2019. Archived from the original on 3 May 2020. Retrieved 3 May 2020.
  41. ^ "Afluencia de estación por línea 2016" [Station traffic by line in 2016] (in Spanish). Sistema Transporte Colectivo Metro. 2017. Archived from the original on 3 May 2020. Retrieved 3 May 2020.
  42. ^ "Afluencia de estación por línea 2015" [Station traffic by line in 2015] (in Spanish). Sistema Transporte Colectivo Metro. 2016. Archived from the original on 3 May 2020. Retrieved 6 May 2020.
  43. ^ "Afluencia de estación por línea 2014" [Station traffic by line in 2014] (in Spanish). Sistema Transporte Colectivo Metro. 2015. Archived from the original on 3 May 2020. Retrieved 6 May 2020.
  44. ^ "Afluencia de estación por línea 2009" [Station traffic by line in 2009] (in Spanish). Sistema Transporte Colectivo Metro. 2010. Archived from the original on 7 September 2010. Retrieved 20 December 2024.
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