Zócalo/Tenochtitlan metro station

Zócalo/Tenochtitlan is a metro station in the colonia (Mexican Spanish for "neighborhood") of Centro, otherwise known as the historic center of Mexico City. It is in the Cuauhtémoc borough and serves multiple 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.^[2] Within the system, the station lies between Allende and Pino Suárez metro stations.^[3]

There are six exits. The first one is next to National Palace to the east, the second entrance is on the opposite side, serving Constitution Square; the third and fourth are on Pino Suárez Avenue, on the south side of the square but one is on Corregidora Street (next to the building of the Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation) on the southeast, while the other one is near the corner of Venustiano Carranza Street. The remaining exits serve the northern part of the square: one is next to the Metropolitan Cathedral, while the other is next to the National Palace near the corner of Moneda Street.^[3] The area is serviced by the Ecobici system.^[4]

Inside the station

Since 2009, there is a free Internet café, the first to be opened by the system.^[5] There is also an information desk and multiple murals titled Cenefas conmemorativas del Bicentenario (2010), by Juan Carlos Garcés Botello and Jesús Cristóbal Flores Carmona.^[3][6] There is also a cultural display managed by the National Institute of Anthropology and History, where the history of Constitution Square is illustrated with a scale model.^[7] The station has a corridor that connects with Pino Suárez station through an underground passageway on the south side, called Pasaje Zócalo–Pino Suárez. It was opened in 1997 and there are 42 bookstores and a free library and mini-cinema.^[8][9] Originally it was a passageway created to add another station named Salvador, but it was canceled due to the proximity of both stations.^[10]

Line 2 of the Mexico City Metro was built by Ingeniería de Sistemas de Transportes Metropolitano, Electrometro and Cometro, the latter a subsidiary of Empresas ICA.^[11] Zócalo metro station was built underground;^[11] the Zócalo–Allende tunnel is 602 meters (1,975 ft) long, while the Zócalo–Pino Suárez stretch measures 745 meters (2,444 ft).^[12]

The station was opened on 14 September 1970, on the first day of the Tasqueña–Tacuba service;^[13] the facilities are partially accessible to people with disabilities as there is an elevator.^[3] In 1983, Zócalo was planned to be an interchange station connecting Line 2 with Line 8, which was proposed to run from Indios Verdes to Pantitlán.^[14] The project was canceled due to the lack of planning and the potential damage it would cause to historical buildings.^[14] The line was later modified to run from Garibaldi to Constitución de 1917 metro stations in a line that goes under Eje Central Avenue.^[15]

In December 2019, the turnstiles on the southern side were replaced with motion-sensor speed gates that avoid users from entering the station for free.^[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.^[3] The station was named after the main square of Mexico City, Constitution Square.^[3] The term zócalo originally means "base" in architecture.^[18] During the times of Antonio López de Santa Anna, it was planned to have a monument dedicated to the Mexican War of Independence at Constitution Square.^[19] The sole base—an 8 m (26 ft) long and 30 cm (12 in) high pedestal—was built in 1843 but the Mexican–American War caused the cancelation of the project. The base was eventually buried and was uncovered until 2017. Because of that, zócalo has been used as a synonym for "square" or "plaza" in Mexican Spanish and its usage eventually spread throughout the country.^[18]

In August 2020, authorities of the system changed the signage at the station to "Zócalo/Tenochtitlan", and they announced the modifications would be formalized in a civic ceremony.^[20] The station was officially renamed on 13 August 2021 to coincide with the 500th anniversary of the Fall of Tenochtitlan, the capital of the Aztec Empire,^[21] and the civil ceremony that formalized it took place on 19 August, where Puente de Alvarado Avenue and the respective Metrobús station, named after Pedro de Alvarado, were also renamed to Calzada México-Tenochtitlan and México-Tenochtitlan station, respectively.^[22]

Incidents

On 29 March 1998, a drunk passenger started shooting at users, injuring a security guard who tried to stop him.^[23] Due to its location, Zócalo/Tenochtitlan station is commonly closed by the authorities. It has been closed due to national security concerns,^[24] the COVID-19 pandemic in Mexico,^[25][26][27] live events at Constitution Square,^[28][29][30] and protests in the zone.^[31][32] Demonstrators have vandalized the station multiple times.^[33][34]

Ridership

According to the data provided by the authorities since the 2000s, Zócalo/Tenochtitlan metro station has been one of the busiest stations of the system's 195 stations. Before the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on public transport, commuters averaged per year between 69,100 and 72,300 daily entrances between 2013 and 2019; the station had a ridership of 26,138,960 passengers in 2019,^[35] which was an increase of 108,763 passengers compared to 2018.^[36] Also in 2019, Zócalo/Tenochtitlan metro station was the tenth busiest of the system and it was the line's third busiest.^[35]

Look up zócalo in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

• Media related to Zócalo/Tenochtitlan at Wikimedia Commons
• "Metro Zócalo/Tenochtitlan". At the Official Guide to Mexico City.
• Pasaje Zócalo–Pino Suárez Official Website
• "Zócalo Metro Models". Atlas Obscura.