These essays celebrate Mexico City as a centre of cultural creativity, diversity and dynamism, trace its history from the founding of the Aztec city of Tenochtitlan to the present day, and explore how the varied experiences of its inhabitants have been represented in poetry, film, and photography.

Looking at the pre-Columbian city, colonial city and modern city, contributors show how Mexico City has grown organically, largely developed by waves of immigrants with new ideas and aspirations. While they have often envisioned the city in new ways, they have been unable to escape totally its historical past, and indeed at times have positively embraced it to serve contemporary political ends. As the city has grown, what it symbolizes to its inhabitants and how they experience the city has become fragmented by social class and ethnicity. There is not one Mexico City, but many.

Drawing from the fields of archaeology, history, political sociology, literature, cinema and photography, this volume provides a unique insight into the history and culture of Mexico City.