Zócalo/Tenochtitlan metro station explained

Zócalo/Tenochtitlan
Former:Zócalo (1970–2021)
Symbol Location:mexicocity
Style:Mexico City Metro
Style2:2
Symbol:mcm
Type:STC rapid transit
Owned:Government of Mexico City
Operator:Sistema de Transporte Colectivo (STC)
Address:Plaza de la Constitución
Other:
Borough:Cuauhtémoc, Mexico City
Country:Mexico
Coordinates:19.4332°N -99.1329°W
Structure:Underground
Platform:2 side platforms
Accessible:Partial
Tracks:2
Status:In service
Line: (Cuatro Caminos – Tasqueña)
Mapframe-Caption:Area map and exits
Mapframe:yes
Map Type:Mexico Mexico City
Map State:collapsed
Passengers:15,940,778
Pass Year:2023
Pass Rank:10/195
Pass Percent:115.58

Zócalo/Tenochtitlan metro station 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

Zócalo/Tenochtitlan is an underground metro station in the colonia ("neighborhood") of Centro, otherwise known as the historic center of Mexico City. It is situated in the Cuauhtémoc borough and serves multiple notable landmarks, including Constitution Square (which is locally known as "Spanish; Castilian: Zócalo"), the National Palace, the Metropolitan Cathedral, and the archaeological remains of Tenochtitlan's main temple, Spanish; Castilian: [[Templo Mayor]].[1]

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 Spanish; Castilian: 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.

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

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.[3] [4] The station also features a cultural display managed by the National Institute of Anthropology and History, which illustrates the history of the Spanish; Castilian: Zócalo with a scale model.[5]

The station has a corridor that connects to Pino Suárez station via an underground passageway on the south side, called Spanish; Castilian: Pasaje Zócalo–Pino Suárez. Opened in 1997, it includes 42 bookstores, a free library, and a mini-cinema.[6] [7] 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.[8]

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.[9] Its first section was inaugurated on 14 September 1970, running from Tasqueña to Tacuba metro station.[10] The tunnel between Zócalo and Allende spans 602m (1,975feet) in length, while the section between Zócalo and Pino Suárez measures 745m (2,444feet).[11]

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.[12] 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.[13]

Since 2009, there is a free Internet café, the first of its kind within the metro system.[14] In December 2019, the turnstiles on the southern side were replaced with motion-sensor speed gates to prevent fare evasion.[15] [16]

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 is named after the Spanish; Castilian: Zócalo, the main square of Mexico City.[3]

The term Spanish; Castilian: zócalo originally means "base" in architecture. 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.[17] An 8sp=usNaNsp=us long and 30sp=usNaNsp=us 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, "Spanish; Castilian: 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, authorities of the system updated the station’s signage to "Zócalo/Tenochtitlan" and announced that the change would be formalized in a civic ceremony.[19] 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.[20] 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.[21]

Incidents

On 29 March 1998, a drunk passenger began shooting at users, injuring a security guard who attempted to intervene.[22] Due to its central location, Zócalo/Tenochtitlan station is frequently closed by authorities for various reasons. It has been closed for national security concerns,[23] during the COVID-19 pandemic in Mexico,[24] [25] [26] for live events at the Spanish; Castilian: Zócalo,[27] [28] [29] and during protests in the area.[30] [31] 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.[32]

The station has also been vandalized multiple times by demonstrators.[33] [34]

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, marking an increase of 108,763 passengers compared to 2018. In 2019 specifically, Zócalo metro station ranked tenth busiest out of the system's 195 stations and it was the line's third busiest.

Year Ridership Average dailyRank% changeRef.
2023 15,940,778 43,673 10/195 [35]
2022 13,776,200 37,743 12/195
2021 6,390,406 17,507 31/195 [36]
2020 7,158,490 19,558 30/195 [37]
2019 26,138,960 71,613 10/195 [38]
2018 26,421,132 72,386 10/195 [39]
2017 25,648,342 70,269 10/195 [40]
2016 26,678,428 72,891 10/195 [41]
2015 26,229,616 71,861 10/195 [42]
2014 26,402,602 72,355 9/195 [43]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: ¿Qué hay afuera de Metro Zócalo?. What is outside Zócalo metro station?. máspormás. 11 September 2017. 19 July 2021. es. Karla. Almaraz. https://web.archive.org/web/20170912033628/https://www.maspormas.com/ciudad/que-hay-afuera-de-metro-zocalo/. 12 September 2017. live.
  2. Web site: Mapa de disponibilidad. Es. Disponibility map. Ecobici. 30 October 2021. 30 October 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211030181935/https://www.ecobici.cdmx.gob.mx/es/mapa-de-cicloestaciones. live.
  3. Web site: Zócalo. es. Sistema Transporte Colectivo Metro. 16 July 2021. 27 February 2021. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20210227161841/https://www.metro.cdmx.gob.mx/la-red/linea-2/zocalo.
  4. Web site: Cenefas conmemorativas del Bicentenario. es. Sistema Transporte Colectivo Metro. 22 July 2021. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20220712025132/https://www.metro.cdmx.gob.mx/cenefas-conmemorativas2. 12 July 2022.
  5. Web site: Zócalo/Tenochtitlan: Metro de la CDMX cambiaría el nombre de una icónica estación. 27 August 2020. 19 July 2020. Infobae. es. Zócalo/Tenochtitlan: Mexico City Metro will change the name of an iconic station. https://web.archive.org/web/20210504233107/https://www.infobae.com/america/mexico/2020/08/27/zocalotenochtitlan-metro-de-la-cdmx-cambiaria-el-nombre-de-una-iconica-estacion/. 4 May 2021. live.
  6. Web site: Blancarte. José Luis. En estación del Metro, la librería más grande de AL. Ciudadanía Express. 23 February 2011. es. 16 July 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20140905064111/http://ciudadania-express.com/2011/02/23/en-estacion-del-metro-la-libreria-mas-grande-de-al/. 5 September 2014. live. In a metro station, the largest bookstore of Latin America.
  7. Web site: García Hernández. Arturo. El pasaje Zócalo-Pino Suárez se suma a la celebración por el Día Mundial del Libro. La Jornada. 15 April 2010. es. 18 August 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20210717004745/https://www.jornada.com.mx/2010/04/15/cultura/a05n1cul. 17 July 2021. live. The Zócalo-Pino Suárez passage joins the World Book Day celebration.
  8. Web site: Estaciones no construídas del Metro. 27 July 2015. Chilango. es. Unbuilt Metro stations. 5 November 2021. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20180531045234/https://www.chilango.com/general/estaciones-no-construidas-del-metro/. 31 May 2018.
  9. Web site: Línea 2, Ciudad de México. Line 2, Mexico City. es. iNGENET Infraestructura. 16 July 2021. 20 July 2009. 18 January 2021. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20210118001018/http://infraestructura.ingenet.com.mx/2009/07/linea-2-ciudad-de-mexico/.
  10. Web site: La torre de Villa de Cortés. es. The tower of Villa de Cortés. La Jornada. Bernardo. Bátiz V. 24 May 2021. 16 July 2021. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20210717000638/https://www.jornada.com.mx/notas/2021/05/24/politica/la-torre-de-villa-de-cortes/. 17 July 2021.
  11. Web site: Longitud de estación a estación por línea. es. Length from station to station by line. Sistema de Transporte Colectivo Metro. 12 July 2021. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20210504063646/https://metro.cdmx.gob.mx/longitud-de-estacion. 4 May 2021.
  12. Web site: Investigación Arqueológica en la Construcción del Metro. Mexico City. Ma. de Jesús. Sánchez Vázquez. Alberto. Mena Cruz. Margarita. Carballal Staedtler. es. Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia. 2010. 9 July 2020. 9 July 2020. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20200709184018/https://arqueologia.inah.gob.mx/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/METRO.pdf. Archaeological Research in the Construction of the Metro.
  13. Web site: El Metro arqueólogo. Reforma. Dalila. Sarabia. subscription. es. 2 September 2019. Mexico City. 16 July 2021. Metro, the archeologist. 17 October 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20231017085523/https://www.reforma.com/el-metro-arqueologo/ar1759171. live.
  14. Web site: Inaugura Ebrard el primer Cibercentro gratuito en el Metro Zócalo. Ebrard inaugurates the first free Cybercenter at Zócalo station. es. 19 August 2009. Portal Político. 15 October 2021. live. 15 October 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211015213648/https://www.portalpolitico.tv/nacionales/inaugura-ebrard-el-primer-cibercentro-gratuito-en-el-metro-zocalo.
  15. Web site: Nuevos torniquetes en el Metro. New turnstiles in the Metro. es. El Universal. 23 December 2019. 19 July 2021. Mexico City. Eduardo. Hernández. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20200525014935/https://www.eluniversal.com.mx/metropoli/cdmx/instalan-nuevos-torniquetes-en-el-metro-zocalo-de-la-linea-2. 25 May 2020.
  16. Web site: Cambian en Metro Zócalo torniquetes por puertas de cristal. Turnstiles replaced with crystal doors in Zócalo metro station. es. El Sol de México. 23 December 2019. 19 July 2021. Daniela. Enríquez. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20210225000008/https://www.elsoldemexico.com.mx/metropoli/cdmx/cambian-en-metro-zocalo-torniquetes-por-puertas-de-cristal-sensores-4622787.html. 25 February 2021.
  17. Web site: 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. 3 July 2021. 19 July 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210703170208/https://www.infobae.com/america/mexico/2021/07/03/zocalo-universidad-y-ecatepec-todo-lo-que-querias-saber-sobre-los-iconos-del-metro-de-la-cdmx/. 3 July 2021. live. es.
  18. Web site: 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. es. BBC News. 6 September 2019. 22 July 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20201211101308/https://www.bbc.com/mundo/noticias-49197955. 11 December 2020. live.
  19. Web site: ¿Metro Zócalo-Tenochtitlan? Aseguran que cambiarán nombre de estación de L2. es. Cinthya. Stettin. Milenio. 26 August 2021. 17 July 2021. Zócalo-Tenochtitlan station? It’s reported that the name of the L2 station will be changed. https://web.archive.org/web/20200904062423/https://www.milenio.com/politica/comunidad/metro-zocalo-anaden-tenochtitlan-nombre-estacion. 4 September 2020. live. registration.
  20. Web site: 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. 14 July 2021. 17 July 2021. Sara. Pantoja. https://web.archive.org/web/20210715033452/https://www.proceso.com.mx/nacional/cdmx/2021/7/14/la-estacion-zocalo-del-metro-cambiara-de-nombre-partir-de-esta-fecha-267833.html. 15 July 2021. live.
  21. Web site: Cambian nombre a Puente de Alvarado por Calzada México-Tenochtitlan. Puente de Alvarado is renamed to Calzada México-Tenochtitlan. La Jornada. 19 August 2021. 22 August 2021. Alejandro. Cruz. https://web.archive.org/web/20210819212104/https://www.jornada.com.mx/notas/2021/08/19/capital/cambian-nombre-a-puente-de-alvarado-por-calzada-mexico-tenochtitlan/. 19 August 2021. live. Mexico City.
  22. Web site: Todo el Metro. All about the Metro. es. La Jornada. 10 May 1998. 12 September 2021. Alberto. Nájar. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20200605165731/https://www.jornada.com.mx/1998/05/10/mas-najar.html. 5 June 2020.
  23. Web site: Cierran lunes y martes Metro Zócalo por reunión de AMLO y Kamala Harris. es. Zócalo metro station closes on Monday and Tuesday due to meeting between AMLO and Kamala Harris. 6 June 2021. 21 July 2021. Eduardo. Hernández. https://web.archive.org/web/20210607064628/https://www.eluniversal.com.mx/metropoli/cdmx/cierran-lunes-y-martes-metro-zocalo-por-reunion-de-amlo-y-kamala-harris. 7 June 2021. live. El Universal.
  24. Web site: Metro de CdMx cerrará estaciones Zócalo y Allende como medida ante covid-19. es. Mexico City Metro will close Zócalo and Allende stations as a measure against COVID-19. Milenio. 7 December 2020. 21 July 2021. Janayna. Mendoza. Mexico City. https://web.archive.org/web/20201222060024/https://www.milenio.com/politica/metro-cdmx-covid-19-allende-zocalo-cerraran-aviso. 22 December 2020. live. registration.
  25. Web site: Metro capitalino cierra la estación Zócalo hasta nuevo aviso. es. Mexico City Metro closes Zócalo station until further notice. 27 September 2020. 21 July 2021. Proyecto 40. https://web.archive.org/web/20210228031951/https://www.adn40.mx/ciudad/nota/notas/2020-09-27-09-52/metro-capitalino-cierra-la-estacion-zocalo-hasta-nuevo-aviso. 28 February 2021. live.
  26. Web site: Cierran acceso al Zócalo de la CDMX por Covid-19. Periódico Viaje. es. 2 April 2020. 21 July 2021. Mexico City's Zócalo access closed due to COVID-19. https://web.archive.org/web/20210302224937/https://periodicoviaje.com/a-viajar/mexico/cierran-acceso-al-zocalo-de-la-cdmx-por-covid-19/. 2 March 2021. live.
  27. Web site: Cierran estación Zócalo del Metro por desfile de Día de Muertos. Zócalo metro station closed due to Day of the Dead Parade. es. 27 October 2018. Excélsior. 21 July 2021. Mexico City. https://web.archive.org/web/20181107021331/https://www.excelsior.com.mx/comunidad/cierran-estacion-zocalo-del-metro-por-desfile-de-dia-de-muertos/1274553. 7 November 2018. live.
  28. Web site: Cerrarán Metro Zócalo durante Fiestas Patrias. Notimex. El Universal. 14 September 2017. Mexico City. es. Zócalo metro station will close during the Patriotic Holidays. https://web.archive.org/web/20201127013148/https://www.eluniversal.com.mx/metropoli/cdmx/cerraran-metro-zocalo-por-fiestas-patrias. 27 November 2020. live.
  29. Web site: Cierran estación Zócalo 4 y 5 de marzo. Zócalo station closes on 4 and 5 March. es. unomásuno. 21 July 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210304074613/https://www.unomasuno.com.mx/cierran-estacion-zocalo-4-y-5-de-marzo/. 4 March 2021. live.
  30. Web site: Cierran estación Zócalo de la Línea 2 del Metro por manifestantes. Noticieros Televisa. es. Zócalo station on Line 2 of the Metro closed due to protesters. María del Rocío. Ángeles Rivero. 31 July 2020. 21 July 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20201120232733/https://noticieros.televisa.com/ultimas-noticias/cierran-estacion-zocalol-inea-2-metro-por-manifestantes/. 20 November 2020. live.
  31. Web site: Cierran estación Zócalo del Metro en #8M. Zócalo metro station closed on #8M. 8 March 2021. 21 July 2021. Excélsior. https://web.archive.org/web/20210311060542/https://www.excelsior.com.mx/comunidad/cierran-estacion-zocalo-del-metro-en-8m/1436575. 11 March 2021. live.
  32. Web site: Estación Zócalo del Metro CDMX, cerrada durante casi un año. La Silla Rota. Marco Antonio. Martínez. 10 October 2024. Zócalo station of the Mexico City Metro closed for almost a year. 11 October 2024. es.
  33. Web site: Cierran estación Zócalo del Metro por actos vandálicos en marcha por Ayotzinapa. Zócalo metro station closed due to vandalism during Ayotzinapa protests. 26 September 2019. 21 July 2021. María del Rocío. Ángeles Rivero. Noticieros Televisa. es. https://web.archive.org/web/20200320011530/https://noticieros.televisa.com/ultimas-noticias/cierran-estacion-zocalo-metro-actos-vandalicos/. 20 March 2020. live.
  34. Web site: Torniquetes y lectores de las Líneas 1, 2 y B, inservibles. es. 13 May 2021. 21 July 2021. El Universal. Salvador. Corona. Lines 1, 2 and B's turnstiles and card readers are unusable. https://web.archive.org/web/20210513182201/https://www.eluniversal.com.mx/metropoli/torniquetes-y-lectores-de-las-lineas-1-2-y-b-inservibles. 13 May 2021. live.
  35. Web site: Afluencia de estación por línea (2022–2023). es. Sistema Transporte Colectivo Metro. 2024. 24 January 2024. 27 January 2024. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20240127043358/https://metro.cdmx.gob.mx/operacion/mas-informacion/afluencia-de-estacion-por-linea. Station traffic by line (2022–2023).
  36. Web site: Afluencia de estación por línea 2021. es. Sistema Transporte Colectivo Metro. 2022. 7 March 2022. 7 March 2022. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20220307203941/https://metro.cdmx.gob.mx/afluencia-estacion-por-linea_2021. Station traffic by line in 2021.
  37. Web site: Afluencia de estación por línea 2020. es. Sistema Transporte Colectivo Metro. 2021. 21 June 2021. 21 June 2021. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20210621220125/https://metro.cdmx.gob.mx/afluenciadeestacionporlinea2020. Station traffic by line in 2020.
  38. Web site: Afluencia de estación por línea 2019. es. Sistema Transporte Colectivo Metro. 2020. 3 May 2020. 3 July 2020. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20200703154652/https://metro.cdmx.gob.mx/afluencia-de-estacion-por-linea-2019. Station traffic by line in 2019.
  39. Web site: Afluencia de estación por línea 2018. es. Sistema Transporte Colectivo Metro. 2019. 7 April 2020. 6 June 2019. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20190606150059/https://metro.cdmx.gob.mx/afluencia-de-estacion-por-linea-2018. Station traffic by line in 2018.
  40. Web site: Afluencia de estación por línea 2017. es. Sistema Transporte Colectivo Metro. 2019. 3 May 2020. 3 May 2020. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20200503211908/https://metro.cdmx.gob.mx/afluencia-de-estacion-por-linea-2017. Station traffic by line in 2017.
  41. Web site: Afluencia de estación por línea 2016. es. Sistema Transporte Colectivo Metro. 2017. 3 May 2020. 3 May 2020. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20200503212130/https://metro.cdmx.gob.mx/afluencia-de-estacion-por-linea-2016. Station traffic by line in 2016.
  42. Web site: Afluencia de estación por línea 2015. es. Sistema Transporte Colectivo Metro. 2016. 6 May 2020. 3 May 2020. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20200503212430/https://metro.cdmx.gob.mx/afluencia-de-estacion-por-linea-2015. Station traffic by line in 2015.
  43. Web site: Afluencia de estación por línea 2014. es. Sistema Transporte Colectivo Metro. 2015. 6 May 2020. 3 May 2020. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20200503212750/https://metro.cdmx.gob.mx/afluencia-de-estacion-por-linea-2014. Station traffic by line in 2014.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Zócalo/Tenochtitlan metro station".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2025, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.