Градостроительная политика Испании в Новом Свете на примере Мехико, колониального мегаполиса страны

Abstract

This article analyzes the history of the Mexico City, the capital of the vice-kingdom of New Spain since its foundation until the end of the colonial period. The author focuses on the main principles of urban pol-icy in the colonies, city plans, development and transformation of the city throughout the colonial history. Conquering the local population and moving across the territory of Mexico, the Spanish conquistadors not only conquered existing settlements, but also founded their own fortresses and outposts, attaching exceptional importance to the con-struction of cities on the territory of colonial possessions. New Spanish cities in America were used by the conquistadors as strongholds for fur-ther colonization and economic development of subordinate territories. The appearance of Spanish cities, their fortifications, Catholic churches were supposed to inspire the Indians with reverence and fear of the con-querors. The urbanization of the New World proceeded as an important link in the process of conquest and development of new territories by the Spanish conquistadors. The future metropolis of New Spain, Mexi-co City, was located on the site of the main Aztec city of Tenochtitlan. The idea to found a city on the site of the Indian Tenochtitlan belonged to E. Cortes. The plan of the city of Mexico belonged to the famous Spanish architect Garcia Bravo. By the beginning of the XIX century. Mexico City grew, expanded, the city had 335 streets, 146 lanes, 12 blocks, 90 large and small squares. The rapid development of the city of Mexico City was interrupted by the events of the War of Independ-ence, the destruction of which had to be liquidated in the first quarter of the 19th century.