In the 16th century, Tenochtitlan, the center of the Aztec Empire that expanded until the Spanish invasion, was recreated in astonishing detail.
The project to create a three-dimensional reconstruction called “Portrait of Tenochtitlan” was led by technical artist Thomas Kole. Kole and his team worked on the project for 1.5 years, using open source software such as Blender, Gimp and Darktable. The images show the Aztec city at its peak and allow us to see how it was positioned in its surrounding environment.
Aztec Emperor Capital
It is unclear exactly when Tenochtitlan was founded, but it is widely accepted that it was founded around 1,325 AD. The city was built on two islands in the waters of Lake Texcoco.
According to legend, the Aztecs chose this location after seeing an eagle perched on a cactus while eating a snake. This was no trivial event, as their god Huitzilopochtli, the god of the sun and war, told them to build their city where they had seen this divine sign.
The city was designed in a grid system inspired by the ancient city of Teotihuacan, founded 1,000 years ago in the highlands of central Mexico.
Because of its location on the water, the city was connected by a mix of streets and canals that allowed people to travel in canoes both within the city and to smaller settlements on the surrounding coastline. People traveling in and out of the city on foot could do so through three causeways that connected the city to the outside world.
In the center of Tenochtitlan was the great Sacred Zone, which served as the religious epicenter for the entire Aztec Empire. This was the site of the temple of huitzilopochtli, as well as a temple to the rain god Tlaloc. This prestigious area was also the seat of the ruling kings and the elite of nobility, which included a richly decorated palace and adjoining gardens, aviaries and zoos.
People lived in neighborhoods called calpulli, each with its own small markets and temples. The inhabitants were usually farmers, weavers, sculptors, potters and soldiers.
The End of an Empire
Throughout its existence, the city ranked among the largest cities in the world, and in the early 16th century there were around 200,000 inhabitants within its borders. It was a center of both political and economic power, as it benefited from the tribute paid by other conquered territories.
But things changed rapidly when the Spanish arrived in 1519. The invaders, together with an alliance of indigenous tribes that had previously been tribute-paying city-states, laid siege to the city in 1521 in a siege that lasted 93 days. On August 13 of that year, the Aztecs surrendered and the era of Spanish rule in Central Mexico began.
With the arrival of Europeans, the inhabitants quickly succumbed to epidemics to which they had no natural immunity. It is estimated that around 50 percent of the region died from smallpox, which spread rapidly after contact with the Spanish.
Today, Mexico City stands on what remains of Tenochtitlan, but Kole’s project allows Tenochtitlan to live again.
