Plaza of the Three Cultures

Plaza of the Three Cultures

Mexico City's Plaza of the Three Cultures includes the Aztec Templo Mayor pyramid, a 16th-century church built by Spanish colonizers, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs building constructed in the 1950s—representing the Aztec culture before 1492, Spanish colonial culture, and modern Mexican culture respectively. The “Three Cultures” refer to the different architectural styles reflecting three periods of Mexican history: the pre-Columbian era, the Spanish colony, and the independent mestizo nation. The plaza was designed by Mexican architect Mario Pani and completed in 1966.