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Mexico City, Mexico

[Ciudad de México]

Images by Juan Manuel Gabino Villascán
May 14, 2010.

Presentation of Mexico City
Status of the Mexico City
Coat of arms
Incorrectly-attributed historical flag of Mexico City

See also:

Presentation of Mexico City

Official name: Mexico City [Ciudad de México]
Location: Center-South of Mexico It neighbors the Mexican States of México (W, E, N), and Morelos (S)
Area: 1,479 km²
Delegations: 16
Population: 8'605,239 inhabitants (2000)
Capital: Mexico City (Pop.: 8'605,239 [2000])
Statehood: 18 November 1824 (Headquarters of the Supreme Powers)
Flag adopted: Unknown
Arms adopted: December 17, 1523, by Royal Document (Cédula Real) signed in Valladolid, Spain, on July 4, 1523.
Arms designer: Unknown

INEGI and SEP
Reported by Juan Manuel Gabino Villascán, 6 October 2001

Status of Mexico City

Until 29 January 2016

The status of the Distrito Federal is defined in the articles 43 and 44 of the Mexican Constitution:

Art. 43: The integrant parts of the Federation are the States of Aguascalientes, Baja California, Baja California Sur, (...), Zacatecas and Distrito Federal.
Art. 44: Mexico City is the Distrito Federal, headquarters of the Powers of the Union and Capital of the United Mexican States. It is made up by the territory it currently has, and in the case the Powers of the Union move to another place, the State of the Valley of Mexico will be created, with borders and area appointed by the Congress.

Juan Manuel Gabino Villascán, 8 May 2001

Since 30 January 2016

The status of Mexico City is defined in the articles 43 and 44 of the Mexican constitution:

Art. 43: The integrant parts of the Federation are the States of Aguascalientes, Baja California, Baja California Sur, (...), Zacatecas and Mexico City.

Art. 44: Mexico City is the federative entitity, headquarters of the federal government branches and capital city of the United Mexican States, it is built up of the territory it currently has, in case the federal offices move to any other place, a federal state will be formed called Mexico City.

Translated by Juan Manuel Gabino Villascán, 20 April 2016

Coat of arms

by Juan Mauel Gabino Villascán 20 April 2016

The coat of arms of Mexico City is described as follows: "...Charles V, Emperor of Spain, issued a Royal Document signed in Valladolid on July 4, 1523, and come into effect on December 17, to replay the petition of Representatives of New Spain Francisco de Montejo and Alonso Fernández Portocarrero, who asked the Emperor granted to the City a coat of arms to be used on pennants, seals, and other places, like those used in Spain..." Such document says: "...they shall have as arms a blue shield, like the water, standing for the the great lake, on which such a city was founded , and a golden castle in middle, and three bridges of stone going toward the castle, on each bridge in both sides of the castle a lion rampant (...) ten green cactus leafs with their thorns on gold border the shield (...) Such arms granted to you are able to be use on pennants, seals and flags (...)"

Originally the arms had neither mantling, crest, nor other elements in addition to those established by the Royal Document, disapointed both the Conquerors and New-Spaniards. Subsequently the arms were added a crown as crest and a mantling, but such elements were rejected by the New-Spain people who topped the arms with an eagle (usually eating a snake) standing on a cactus three.

Juan Palafox y Mendoza, Bishop of Puebla, and Viceroy of New Spain, ordered by Decree of August 12, 1642, that all represetations of the indigenous icon were removed from the City arms and "... replaced by either an image of Our Lady, an angel with a Cross, or images resemble the Catholic faith such as the Wafer and Cup...". Even the Decree the usage of the idigenous emblem extended over all the New Spain.

Juan Manuel Gabino Villascán, June 2, 2001

Incorrectly-attributed historical flag of Mexico City

It is said that the Kingdom of México/Province of México, as part of the Viceroyalty of New Spain, had a flag for its own. Such a flag originated in the beginnings of the XVI century, made in silk in pardo leonado colour, has in the centre a great Cross of Saint Andrew, which arms end each in a shield of Mexico City. It was placed during the great solemnities in the central balcony of the vice-roy palace (today National).
Jorge Candeias, 27 Oct 1997, translated from La Bandera Mexicana [no longer exists]

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