Almost 500 years on, the impact of Spanish conquistadores can be seen in the tall, ornate churches that crown the hillsides and plazas of Mexico's cities and whitewashed walls of haciendas. But traces of earlier inhabitants remain in the remarkable temples and pyramids at Palenque and Teotihuacán, and in the traditions of dozens of indigenous cultures. Accompanying it all are the subtle spices of Mexico's famous tortillas, tamales and enchiladas, washed down with bold red wines and heady tequila and mescal.
Mexico's earliest known civilisation was the Olmec in the second century BC, a Mayan culture advanced in religion, architecture and mathematics, who reached their height between AD 600-900. The Toltecs were the predominant civilisation of this time. Known for their fine architecture, elegant speech and intellectual pursuits, they were the ancestors of the famous Aztecs. In 1519, a Spaniard named Hernan Cortés arrived from Cuba with a 550-strong crew.
The Aztec Empire controlled vast territories from the Yucatán peninsula to the Pacific, with over 370 individual nations under their authority. Ruling from their capital city, Tenochtitlan, the Aztecs demanded heavy tribute from their subjects, which caused some to side with Cortés. The other factor on Cortés' side was the lucky coincidence that 1519 was the exact year when legend had it that the Aztec god, Quetzalcoatl, would return from the east and so Cortés was mistaken for a god. After two years of fighting, the Aztecs were defeated. Mexico later achieved independence after the wars of 1810-21.
In Mexico City is the Plaza de las Tres Culturas, which celebrates the three major cultures that have shaped Mexico: there are Aztec ruins, the 17th-century colonial church of San Diego and several late 20th-century buildings. Mexico's capital city is one of speeding VW taxis and bustling marketplaces, countered by colourful Aztec dancers and panaderías with freshly baked pastries. Mexico City has a peculiar charm, possessing Mexico in microcosm: pollution and poverty intermingled with streets named after philosophers. Mexico City itself provides a contrast with the country's arresting topography: its Sierre Madre mountains, volcanoes, national parks and beaches.
History comes to life in Mexico: the scars of recent history are still apparent. In 1847, Mexico was forced to cede half of its territory to the USA. In 1861, Benito Juárez was elected President and announced a two-year moratorium on the payment of foreign debts, causing a series of civil wars and conflicts with European and US Governments for the next 30 years. Later came Porfirio D'az's dictatorship of 1876-1910, revolutions and coups, and the one-party state of the PRI until the mid-1970s. Mexico's largely oil-based economy brought Mexico to the verge of bankruptcy in the 1970s/80s due to corruption and mismanagement, a collapse of oil prices, and political crisis. Some areas of Mexico are, indeed, still blighted by crime and destitution. But, for the most part, Mexico remains a fascinating amalgam of antiquity and forward-looking vigour.
