Mexico City is an old city. Not in terms of people, as they’re quite young. As of 2020, 24% of CDMX inhabitants were between the ages of 24 and 35.
Neither is it very old in terms of its own age. According to The Economist, the urban sprawl increased 128% between 1990 and 2014. After 1970, its count of four core delegations swelled to 16, meaning a sizable chunk of Mexico City has been newly acquired.
Still, the heart of Mexico’s vibrant capital is an ancient one, full of stories and legends, tradition and lore. And if the city wasn’t already fascinating enough, here’s another nugget to add to the list: it’s home to the oldest street in the Americas. A statistic I find rather mind blowing, since it’s ranked against the likes of the Dominican Republic, Cuba, Uruguay and Brazil.
But it’s true:there is no documented street still in use in the Americas that competes with the one in Mexico City. Of the Americas’ oldest roads, Calle Tacuba has outlived them all. If you’ve been to the lovely and energetic Historic Center, you’ve probably walked along its crooked sidewalks, dodging perfume salesmen and falling for the charms of pretty restaurant hostesses.
You may even have made it to the far end in Miguel Hidalgo, where the street is known by a different name, and its borders brush up against the flower-filled cemeteries of Mexico City’s oldest international communities. No matter which of its five sections you’ve roamed, you’re bound to have encountered va.