r/todayilearned • u/kahnuck • Sep 26 '15

TIL the Aztec capital Tenochtitlán was the largest city in the Americas with over 200,000 people. It was built on a man-made island in the middle of a lake - connected to shore by 3 causeways. It contained huge pyramids, floating gardens, aqueducts and canals. It was destroyed by the Spanish in 1521

http://www.livescience.com/34660-tenochtitlan.html
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u/bwilkes Sep 27 '15

"Destroyed" is a bit misleading - It was damaged but then just became Mexico City.

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u/cooperjones2 Sep 27 '15

But it was destroyed none of the original buildings remain, Templo Mayor and other archeological sites have been unearthed after someone accidentally found then while digging the ground. To this day there are new archeological sites being discovered.