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Plaza de la Constitución de Zocalo, Mexico. Photo by Guadalupe el Tricolor- Wikimedia commons

Top 10 Facts about Plaza de la Constitucion

El Zócalo, also known as Plaza de la Constitución, is Mexico City’s main public square and one of its most recognizable landmarks. It has a massive Mexican flag in the center and has been the focal point of public gatherings since the Aztecs.

The site also hosts popular religious events during Holy Week and Corpus Christi. The square is also surrounded by several historic structures, including the city’s national cathedral, the National Palace, and federal buildings.

You could spend a couple of hours wandering around the Zócalo, and some visitors recommend starting your visit at sunset. At sunset, Mexican soldiers march into the square to remove the flag, providing an excellent photo opportunity. Some visitors even recommend returning to the square multiple times.

1.A brief background story about the lovely Plaza de la Constitucion

The Plaza de la Constitucion, once a commercial center for various businesses in the Old City, is now home to a variety of restaurants and shops. Its history began with the establishment of a constitutional government in Spain. The area housed a slave market as well as other commercial activities. Visitors to St. Augustine enjoy a peaceful rest and the beautiful scenery at the Plaza.

The Plaza de la Constitucion, which overlooks Matanzas Bay and the approach to the Bridge of Lions, has been a focal point of public life in St. Augustine since the late 16th century.

2.The beautiful historic site was a multi-purpose structure

This is a photo of a Uruguayan monument identified by the ID. Photo by Gerardo Irazábal Valledor- Wikimedia commons

The plaza and its historic structure served as the city’s commercial, governmental, and spiritual heart, flanked by several buildings dating from the colonial period, including the Government House and the Cathedral Basilica of St. Augustine.

It served as a venue for official ceremonies as well as a public marketplace where ships docked at nearby wharves sold their cargoes. It now houses a number of monuments, memorials, and landmarks, as well as social gatherings throughout the year. The plaza, which serves as the focal point of the city’s historic district, was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1970.

3.This amazing historic site is one of a kind

The recreation area was designated in a Royal Ordinance in 1573 and is the United States’ oldest public park. According to the ordinance, the site must have a rectangular shape based on the compass points, with a length that is 1.5 times the width. When an obelisk commemorating the Spanish Constitution was erected in 1812, the plaza was given its name. Following the restoration of the monarchy the following year, King Ferdinand VII ordered the destruction of all such monuments. St. Augustine city leaders did not comply, and as a result, this is the world’s only remaining monument of its kind. The plaza leads to the original streets of St. Augustine.

4.The beautiful historical building has rich information as epic events occurred there

The famous Cafe Central Coffee plaque, Calle Santa Maria, off Plaza de la Constitucion, Malaga. Dr Bob Hall- Wikimedia commons

Numerous historic events in the history of the city, Florida, and the country have taken place in the public square. In 1821, representatives from both governments officially transferred control of Florida from Spain to the United States at this location. The plaza, which was the site of numerous rallies leading up to the Civil War, was where Union naval officers reclaimed the city from the Confederacy in 1862. During the civil rights movement, the plaza, which was once a slave market, was the site of numerous peaceful protests. On Labor Day in 1963, Robert Hayling, a young Black dentist, led the first protest. Dr. Martin Luther King was arrested there the following year while leading another march.

5.The Plaza’s Points of Interest: MARKETPLACE- St Augustine Castillo de san Marcos

The public marketplace at the plaza’s eastern end is a reconstruction of one built in 1824. The four cannons were previously used to defend the Castillo de San Marcos. An American Water Landmark has been designated for a pre-1700 well.

6.The Plaza’s Points of Interest: MEMORIES OF WAR

Along with a Confederate war memorial, there are memorials to American Revolutionary War prisoners as well as soldiers who died in World War II, Korea, and Vietnam. A statue honors Felix Varela, a Cuban-born Catholic priest known for his 19th-century efforts to secure independence for his homeland. He lived in St. Augustine in his later years.

7.The Plaza’s Points of Interest: MONUMENT TO THE FOOT SOLDIERS OF ST. AUGUSTINE

The St. Augustine Foot Soldiers Monument, located near the southeast corner of the plaza, honors the men and women who participated in various forms of peaceful protest to advance civil rights. Brian Owens’ 675-pound bronze sculpture, which depicts four figures of various ages and races, was unveiled in 2011.

8.The Plaza’s Points of Interest: EVENTS IN THE OUTDOORS

Plaza de la Constitución, México, D. F. Photo by Guadalupe el Tricolor- Wikimedia commons

Throughout the year, the plaza hosts a variety of outdoor events such as festivals and concerts. It serves as the backdrop for the Easter Parade, which features locals dressed in their finest spring attire. The plaza’s gazebo hosts free Thursday night concerts from Memorial Day to Labor Day. 2 million tiny white lights trace the outline of the historic buildings and the branches of historic oak trees that surround the plaza during the winter holiday season.

9.Travel Suggestions

The park, which is bounded by St. George Street, King Street, and Cathedral Place, is free to the public and open 24 hours a day. Metered street parking is available near the plaza. Parking is enforced Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., excluding national holidays. On Sundays, the city provides free parking. Take the Old Town Trolley tour and get off at Stop #15 to explore the area.

10.The name’s etymology

Throughout its history, the square has been known as Plaza de Armas, Plaza Principal, Plaza Mayor, and Plaza del Palacio. It received its current name during the viceroyalty, in 1813, because it was there that the Spanish Constitution, promulgated the previous year in Cádiz, was sworn to in New Spain.

The city’s central square is known as the Zócalo because, in 1843, Antonio López de Santa Anna called for a competition to build a commemorative monument for Mexico’s independence, with the winner being Lorenzo de la Hidalga, who proposed the construction of a column in the square.

As the monument was never completed, only the base or base was installed; the plinth remained in place for several years. Since then, the plaza has also been referred to as Zócalo.