Page 62 - A History of the World in 25 Cities
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The Aztecs were fierce warriors who forged an empire that stretched across what’s now Mexico. They
built their capital on a marshy island in the middle of a lake – an astonishing city of pyramid temples,
enormous palaces and networks of canals.
Legend says that the Aztecs had been told to
build their city where they saw an eagle
perched on a cactus.
The Aztecs used canals for transporting people and goods.
Three long causeways linked Tenochtitlán to the shore, including drawbridges that could be pulled up, making the city into a fortress.
This large valley is 2,200 metres above sea level.
Crops grew on these man-made islands, as well as within the main city. As there were no large animals to provide poo to fertilise crops, human poo was collected and used instead.
