168:
paved in stone with a fountain in the center and trees around it. Surrounding the square, there are a number of older constructions with only one floor which recalls the area's past along with an office building from the mid 20th century. However, the most important construction is the Santa María de la
Natividad Aztacalco church, a small construction built in 1530. Those sentenced to hang on the trees of the village would ask for forgiveness in the church before the sentence was carried out. It served as a parish church until 1962 when it was "demoted" to a chapel. It is still the main church of the community and contains a crucifix on the main altar said to date from the 16th century, one of five sent by the king of Spain to Mexico.
17:
156:
49:
104:. The hacienda immediately surrounding Roma became the streets of Puebla, Durango, Morelia and Avenida Cuauhtémoc. When Colonia Roma was created, Romita was officially incorporated into it, but the local residents fought redevelopment. The area has since developed semi-independently from the rest of Colonia Roma, both in infrastructure and socially.
111:
bar called La Hija de los
Apaches located on Avenida Cuauhtemoc. In the 1930s and 1940s, the area had two legendary female thieves named Plácida Hernández and the other only referred to as "La Loba" (The She-Wolf) . The area had one famous gang known as the Halcones (Falcons). This gang was prominent
167:
The neighborhood's borders are defined by Puebla, Durango, Morelia streets along with
Avenida Cuauhtémoc. Today it is centered on a square called Plaza de Romita, one block from the main thoroughfare of Avenida Cuauhtémoc, connected to that street called Calle Real de Romita. This small square is
39:
village called
Aztacalco, later renamed Romita. When the area around the village was redeveloped into housing for the wealthy, the village resisted and remained separate socially although officially part of Colonia Roma. During the 20th century the area had a reputation for being dangerous as it
171:
One notable area off the plaza is an alleyway that extends from the plaza behind the church. This was formerly abandoned but today the walls that enclose it are used by local artists to paint over, making it filled with eclectic images. Another notable area is the Huerto La Romita, a small area
163:
La Romita is defined as the area bordered by Puebla, Durango and
Morelia streets along with Avenida Cuauhtémoc. Because it developed differently from the rest of Colonia Roma, it consists of narrow streets which make it still relatively difficult to access.
56:
La Romita began as a pre
Hispanic village that remained independent until the establishment of Colonia Roma and has remained semi-independent since. In the pre Hispanic period, the area was a small island called Aztacalco located near the Aztec capital of
99:
In the late 19th century and early 20th century, Mexico City was growing westward over these formerly rural areas. In 1903, the hacienda land around Romita was bought with the purpose of creating a housing development for the wealthy called
120:
from 1976 to 1982. In return for protection received when he was young, Portillo made Durazo the chief of police of Mexico City. This led wide scale corruption and brutality until Durazo was replaced and jailed by the following president
72:
During the colonial period the village continued to be independent although its status as an island disappeared along with the waters of the lake. By the mid 18th century, a road connecting Mexico City and
428:
107:
The local residents were of a significantly lower social class than the rest of Roma, with the wealthy residents avoiding it for fear of thieves. In the 20th century, it was also the home of a notable
40:
residents were relatively poor. Today, the area is no longer poor or dangerous, but its streets are narrower than the rest of
Colonia Roma and its residents still consider themselves distinct.
147:
lived at La Romita #8 has been rehabilitated as a cultural center. Also its residents still consider themselves distinct from the rest of
Colonia Roma even though they are no longer poor.
112:
in the 1940s and 1950s, when it was led by Arturo "El Negro" Durazo and controlled a large part of La Romita. Durazo befriended and protected a more studious resident of the area,
421:
338:
414:
645:
96:
trees that the area had, which became something of a spectacle. The now dry land became hacienda generally dedicated to the raising of horses.
724:
394:
569:
260:
140:
was partly filmed here in the 1940s especially the scene where an indigenous boy named El Ojitos is abandoned by his father at the church.
66:
242:
Bertran, Antonio (September 19, 1996). "Crestas de asfalto, senal de vestigios" [Asphalt waves signs of archeological vestiges].
614:
574:
666:
680:
143:
Today, the neighborhood is no longer considered to be dangerous and is now considered to be a cultural center as the home where
554:
461:
544:
501:
346:
534:
524:
594:
129:
144:
640:
650:
69:, renaming it Mexico City, Aztacalco was one of the areas that the indigenous were permitted to continue living.
113:
599:
635:
619:
539:
133:
176:. The area's resident grow organic fruits and vegetables and offer classes in urban organic agriculture.
128:
The area's former reputation as dangerous was noted in a number of stories. The protagonist of the novel
719:
609:
491:
85:. The village began to be called Romita as well with this name appearing in written records in 1752.
589:
579:
496:
471:
122:
117:
93:
481:
476:
264:
559:
390:
173:
386:
379:
506:
486:
466:
216:
564:
549:
77:
passed nearby and due to its many trees was named La Romita as it resembled an avenue in
263:[Colonia Roma] (in Spanish). Mexico City: Borough of Cuauhtémoc. Archived from
52:
Mural of the Virgin of
Guadalupe with Harley Davidson motorcycle next to the main plaza
16:
713:
137:
584:
516:
437:
101:
62:
58:
36:
28:
345:(in Spanish). Mexico: Government of Mexico City. November 15, 2012. Archived from
445:
341:[La Romita: A neighborhood filled with history, cultura and urban art].
299:
74:
32:
695:
682:
136:, talks about the thieves of Romita and the fear he had of the neighborhood.
529:
406:
155:
48:
453:
441:
108:
89:
154:
88:
According to local lore, in the colonial period thieves caught in
82:
47:
78:
410:
339:"La Romita: Un barrio lleno de historia, cultura y arte urbano"
302:[La Romita, from indigenous home to cultural space].
20:
View of the Santa María de la
Natividad Aztacalco church
65:. The name means "in the house of herons." After the
300:"La Romita, de hogar de indígenas a espacio cultural"
659:
628:
515:
452:
385:. Berkeley, CA: Avalon Travel Publishing. pp.
378:
116:, who eventually went into politics and became
422:
8:
306:(in Spanish). Mexico City. December 16, 2009
255:
253:
372:
370:
368:
366:
364:
429:
415:
407:
211:
209:
207:
205:
203:
201:
199:
197:
195:
193:
191:
189:
15:
333:
331:
329:
327:
325:
323:
321:
294:
292:
290:
288:
286:
284:
282:
185:
27:is a small neighborhood located in the
246:(in Spanish). Mexico City. p. 15.
7:
61:surrounded by the shallow waters of
35:. The area began as an independent
14:
92:were hung here using the large
67:Spanish conquered Tenochtitlan
1:
615:Salón de la Plástica Mexicana
535:Casa Museo Leonora Carrington
725:Neighborhoods in Mexico City
667:Trolleybuses of Roma–Condesa
570:Jardín Edith Sánchez Ramírez
595:Museo del Objeto del Objeto
545:Centro Urbano Benito Juárez
130:Las Batallas en el Desierto
741:
641:Chilpancingo metro station
575:Jardín Ramón López Velarde
381:Moon Handbooks-Mexico City
696:19.4231250°N 99.1552528°W
651:Insurgentes metro station
223:(in Spanish). Mexico City
377:Humphrey, Chris (2005).
145:Gilberto Rincón Gallardo
701:19.4231250; -99.1552528
636:Balderas metro station
620:Universidad de Londres
540:Centro Cultural Border
525:Avenida Álvaro Obregón
160:
53:
21:
158:
51:
19:
600:Plaza Río de Janeiro
492:Francisco J. Serrano
349:on November 22, 2012
159:Inside Huerto Romita
692: /
590:Mexico City College
472:Condesa pocket park
134:José Emilio Pacheco
123:Miguel de la Madrid
118:president of Mexico
114:José López Portillo
482:Ernesto Buenrostro
267:on August 10, 2008
221:Mexico Desconocido
161:
54:
22:
675:
674:
555:Fuente de Cibeles
462:Avenida Ámsterdam
396:978-1-56691-612-7
217:"Plaza de Romita"
174:urban agriculture
94:Montezuma cypress
732:
707:
706:
704:
703:
702:
697:
693:
690:
689:
688:
685:
580:Mercado Medellín
497:Michoacán Market
467:Basurto Building
431:
424:
417:
408:
401:
400:
384:
374:
359:
358:
356:
354:
335:
316:
315:
313:
311:
296:
277:
276:
274:
272:
257:
248:
247:
239:
233:
232:
230:
228:
213:
740:
739:
735:
734:
733:
731:
730:
729:
710:
709:
700:
698:
694:
691:
686:
683:
681:
679:
678:
676:
671:
655:
624:
565:Insurgentes 300
511:
477:Edificio México
448:
435:
405:
404:
397:
376:
375:
362:
352:
350:
337:
336:
319:
309:
307:
298:
297:
280:
270:
268:
259:
258:
251:
241:
240:
236:
226:
224:
215:
214:
187:
182:
153:
46:
12:
11:
5:
738:
736:
728:
727:
722:
712:
711:
673:
672:
670:
669:
663:
661:
657:
656:
654:
653:
648:
643:
638:
632:
630:
629:Transportation
626:
625:
623:
622:
617:
612:
607:
602:
597:
592:
587:
582:
577:
572:
567:
562:
560:Garros Galería
557:
552:
547:
542:
537:
532:
527:
521:
519:
513:
512:
510:
509:
504:
499:
494:
489:
484:
479:
474:
469:
464:
458:
456:
450:
449:
436:
434:
433:
426:
419:
411:
403:
402:
395:
360:
317:
278:
261:"Colonia Roma"
249:
234:
184:
183:
181:
178:
152:
149:
45:
42:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
737:
726:
723:
721:
718:
717:
715:
708:
705:
684:19°25′23.25″N
668:
665:
664:
662:
658:
652:
649:
647:
644:
642:
639:
637:
634:
633:
631:
627:
621:
618:
616:
613:
611:
608:
606:
603:
601:
598:
596:
593:
591:
588:
586:
583:
581:
578:
576:
573:
571:
568:
566:
563:
561:
558:
556:
553:
551:
548:
546:
543:
541:
538:
536:
533:
531:
528:
526:
523:
522:
520:
518:
514:
508:
507:Parque México
505:
503:
502:Parque España
500:
498:
495:
493:
490:
488:
487:Esquina Común
485:
483:
480:
478:
475:
473:
470:
468:
465:
463:
460:
459:
457:
455:
451:
447:
443:
439:
432:
427:
425:
420:
418:
413:
412:
409:
398:
392:
388:
383:
382:
373:
371:
369:
367:
365:
361:
348:
344:
340:
334:
332:
330:
328:
326:
324:
322:
318:
305:
301:
295:
293:
291:
289:
287:
285:
283:
279:
266:
262:
256:
254:
250:
245:
238:
235:
222:
218:
212:
210:
208:
206:
204:
202:
200:
198:
196:
194:
192:
190:
186:
179:
177:
175:
172:dedicated to
169:
165:
157:
150:
148:
146:
141:
139:
138:Los Olvidados
135:
132:, written by
131:
126:
124:
119:
115:
110:
105:
103:
97:
95:
91:
86:
84:
80:
76:
70:
68:
64:
60:
50:
43:
41:
38:
34:
30:
26:
18:
720:Colonia Roma
687:99°9′18.91″W
677:
660:Roma–Condesa
604:
585:Mercado Roma
380:
353:November 24,
351:. Retrieved
347:the original
342:
310:November 24,
308:. Retrieved
303:
271:November 11,
269:. Retrieved
265:the original
243:
237:
227:November 24,
225:. Retrieved
220:
170:
166:
162:
142:
127:
106:
102:Colonia Roma
98:
87:
71:
63:Lake Texcoco
59:Tenochtitlan
55:
37:pre Hispanic
29:Colonia Roma
24:
23:
699: /
446:Mexico City
75:Chapultepec
33:Mexico City
31:section of
714:Categories
646:Cuauhtémoc
180:References
605:La Romita
530:Casa Lamm
151:Geography
25:La Romita
610:Rosetta
454:Condesa
442:Condesa
244:Reforma
44:History
393:
109:pulque
90:Tepito
387:63–66
343:MX-DF
83:Italy
517:Roma
438:Roma
391:ISBN
355:2012
312:2012
304:Esto
273:2010
229:2012
79:Rome
716::
550:Em
444:,
389:.
363:^
320:^
281:^
252:^
219:.
188:^
125:.
81:,
440:–
430:e
423:t
416:v
399:.
357:.
314:.
275:.
231:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
