invme Place
Everywhere
All cities · Everywhere →
EN
ENEnglish RURussian FRFrench DEGerman ITItalian ESSpanish PTPortuguese PT-BRBrazilian Portuguese ES-MXLatin American Spanish FR-CACanadian French EN-GBBritish English UKUkrainian PLPolish JAJapanese NLDutch KOKorean SVSwedish DADanish NBNorwegian FIFinnish CSCzech HEHebrew ELGreek ZH-HANTTraditional Chinese HUHungarian RORomanian HRCroatian SKSlovak SLSlovenian ETEstonian LVLatvian LTLithuanian BGBulgarian TRTurkish

Zocalo

Old towns ·Mexico City
4.55.7K
#2Old towns in Mexico City#6Old towns in MexicoTravelers' Choice 2026
Make a plan here
Directions Bookmark

Sign up free — See who's going and message them.

About

Zócalo, formally Plaza de la Constitución, is Mexico City’s main square in the Centro Histórico, in the Cuauhtémoc borough.

More photos 12

1 / 12
Zocalo — Station hall with stairs, escalators and a timber ceiling ProtoplasmaKid · CC BY-SA 4.0 · edited
Zocalo — Station hall with stairs, escalators and a timber ceilingZocalo — Zócalo station platform beside an orange Metro trainZocalo — Busy station corridor lined with shops and glass wallsZocalo — Stairway rising from the station entranceZocalo — Tiled passage leading through the stationZocalo — Turnstiles and passenger gates inside the station hallZocalo — Orange train beside platform barriers and waiting passengersZocalo — Underground passage toward the Zócalo–Pino Suárez arcadeZocalo — Black and white view along the station platformZocalo — Tiled portrait mural of Josefa Ortiz on a station wallZocalo — Temporary Candelaria exhibit with figurines on displayZocalo — Close view of figurines in the Candelaria exhibit

Why go

  • A large Mexican flag is raised and lowered ceremonially each day.
  • The president gives the Grito de Dolores from the National Palace balcony on September 15 at 23:00.
  • The unfinished base of a planned independence monument gave Zócalo its popular name.

Don't miss

  • Metropolitan CathedralBuilt from 1573 to 1667, it is the country’s largest cathedral.North side of the square. On the map
  • National PalaceDating to 1792, the palace houses Mexico’s presidential seat.East side of the square. On the map
  • Western-side buildingsCommercial buildings and hotels line the western side, alongside the Old Portal de Mercaderes; the Nacional Monte de Piedad building marks the northwest corner.West side and northwest corner of the square. On the map
  • Mexico City administration buildingsMexico City’s administration buildings border the square.South side of the square. On the map

Tips for your visit

  • The square is a frequent setting for political protests and rallies as well as sightseeing.

Interesting facts3

1/3
  1. 100,000 people

    The square can hold more than 100,000 people.

    Zócalo - Wikipedia
  2. 700 years

    The square and nearby blocks have shaped Mexico City’s planning and geography for almost 700 years.

    Zócalo - Wikipedia
  3. 1987

    The square has been considered part of the historic centre’s Cultural Heritage of Humanity since 1987.

    Plaza de la Constitución (Ciudad de México) - Wikipedia

Shorts

History

After Tenochtitlan’s destruction, Cortés kept its four main neighbourhoods and placed a church where they met; that church became the Metropolitan Cathedral. A flood in 1629 brought water up to two metres deep and damaged shops that had to be rebuilt.

  1. 1521Before the Spanish conquest, Moctezuma II’s palace stood at the square’s northeast corner.
  2. 1524Spanish builders used stones from the Templo Mayor and other buildings to make the new Plaza Mayor.
  3. 1703The Parián market opened at the square’s southwest corner, selling luxury goods brought from Asia and Europe.
  4. 1789The square was cleared and repaved, and workers unearthed the Aztec Calendar.
  5. 1813After authorities and residents swore allegiance to Spain’s Constitution of Cádiz, the square was renamed Plaza de la Constitución.
Show all
  1. 1828The Parián was looted and damaged during an uprising; several merchants died.
  2. 1843Santa Anna commissioned an independence column designed by Lorenzo de la Hidalga. Its marble base was laid on September 16, but the column was never built.
  3. 1843Santa Anna had the Parián demolished, leaving the square bare apart from trees and flower gardens.
  4. 1847US forces occupied the plaza.
  5. 1863French forces occupied the plaza.
  6. 1958The square reached a stage in its modern appearance.
  7. 1970sThe plaza was levelled, its train tracks removed, and its surface cemented.
  8. Late 1970sPink cobblestones replaced the paving, and small trees and grass were planted.

How to get there

  • TrainTake Metro Line 2 to Zócalo/Tenochtitlan station. Its entrance is at the square’s northeast corner, with no sign above ground.
  • On footFrom the Templo Mayor site, the square is one block southwest.

Sources: Zócalo - Wikipedia · Mexico City/Centro - Wikivoyage (eat) · HOME - Balcón del Zócalo · Plaza de la Constitución (Mexiko-Stadt) - Wikip… · Plaza de la Constitución (Ciudad de México) - W… · Place de la Constitution (Mexico) - Wikipedia · checked 30 Sep 2026

Where
Calle Plaza de La Constitucion S/N Centro Histórico de la Cdad. de México, Centro, Mexico City

Plan from here: A day out →

Questions and answers

Has Zócalo hosted free concerts?

Yes. Paul McCartney performed a free concert there on May 10, 2012.

What stood at Zócalo before the Spanish conquest?

Before 1521, Moctezuma II’s palace stood at the square’s northeast corner.

What football record was set at Zócalo?

On March 15, 2026, 9,500 people attended the world’s largest football class there.

Did Zócalo host World Cup events?

Yes. It hosted a FIFA Fan Festival during the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

How invme works
  1. See who's going — faces, not ticket counts.
  2. Write to someone who shares your interests — no swipes, no matches, no paywall.
  3. Pick the event or the place to meet at — and go together.
Join free

Reviews on invme

Sign in to review
Comment Share
Loading comments…