specialists of the National Institute of anthropology and history Mexico (INAH) in carrying out excavations in the heart of Mexico city, where half a Millennium ago was the Aztec city of Tenochtitlan, found the remains of the building, which were identified as the Palace of the famous Conquistador hernán cortés.
Report on the study published in the Gazette of the INAH. Archaeologists originally did not set the task to find the house of Cortes. They examined departmental building of Monte de Piedad in Mexico city historic centre. The building is dilapidated and is subject to reconstruction.
This is one of the symbols of old Mexico. It is believed that there in the time of Montezuma II was the Palace of Axayacatl. This is where the ruler of the Aztecs placed arrived in November 1519 in the city of the Spaniards. And in the same Palace, they then kept him as a hostage.
Archaeologists decided to excavate in advance of the reconstruction and in the courtyard found the first remains of the Foundation of the building, built about 1755. It was a basalt slab, on which stood massive columns.
Literally digging deeper, archaeologists discovered an older room, built from volcanic rock. Its size was 4×5 meters. Paul was a basalt slab. Further analysis has led scientists to the conclusion that this room was part of the Palace of Hernan Cortes, which was built on his orders after the fall of Tenochtitlan in 1521.
Analysis has also shown that this building was erected on the ruins of an earlier Aztec structures. Archaeologists believe they have found the Palace of Hernan Cortes, who after his death in 1547, together with the other possessions of the conqueror was inherited by his son, martín cortés zúñiga. The last in 1566 became a member of the conspiracy against the government of New Spain, after which he was expelled from the Vice-Kingdom. However, the descendants of Hernan Cortes and owned extensive land and houses until 1836.
According to archaeologists, the discovery is consistent with written sources, tells about the dramatic events polutysyacheletnego ago. That here was the Palace of Axayacatl indicate the artifacts found, in particular, two stone sculptures of the pre-Hispanic period. One of them depicted the feathered serpent Quetzalcoatl.
In 1520, there was an uprising of the Aztecs, which was joined by several tribes. They captured the city and, according to one version of themselves killed Montezuma II. The Spaniards out of the city fled.
However, in 1521 the detachment of Cortes were back. Its members joined the warriors from tribes that traditionally warring with the Aztecs. Their support helped Cortez to conquer the town. It fell Tenochtitlan. Cortes ordered to demolish building and build new. For himself he ordered to build a Palace on the ruins of the Palace of Axayacatl.
For the “reconstruction” of the city conquerors attracted the indigenous population. Buildings in most cases were torn down entirely, and then the rest of them the foundations of new ones were built in the European style. The conquerors used the same building materials.
