Colonias of Mexico City

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

In Mexico, the neighborhoods of large metropolitan areas are known as colonias. One theory suggests that the name, which literally means colony, arose in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, when one of the first urban developments outside Mexico City's core was built by a French immigrant colony. Unlike neighborhoods in the United States, colonias in Mexico City have a specific name which is used in all official documents and postal addresses. Usually, colonias are assigned a specific postal code; nonetheless, in recent urban developments, gated communities are also defined as colonias, yet they share the postal code with adjacent neighborhoods. When writing a postal address the name of the colonia must be specified followed by the postal code and preceding the name of the city. For example:

Calle Insurgentes 145

Colonia Condesa

Del. Cuauhtémoc

06767 México, D.F.

Some colonias have identifiable attributes:

• Centro - Covers the historic downtown (centro histórico) of Mexico City.
• Condesa - Artistic district notable for its Art Deco architecture.
• Roma - Beaux Arts neighbourhood next to Condesa, one of the oldest in Mexico City.
• Ciudad Satélite - Upper middle class suburban residential neighbourhood.
• Coyoacán (Mexico City)- town founded by Cortés swallowed by the city in 50's , countercultural neighborhood in downtown Coyoacán.
• Del Valle - Cradle of José López Portillo and many other important people in Mexican history.
• Lomas de Chapultepec - Upscale residential neighborhood.
• Colonia Nápoles - middle class.
• San Ángel - colonial town swallowed by the city and spoiled by modern street projects.
• Santa Fe - Financial and business district.
• Jardines del Pedregal - Upscale residential neighborhood.
• Polanco - Shopping, business and tourist area.
• Tepito - Popular flea market.
• Tlatelolco - Site of the Plaza de las Tres Culturas. High-density neighborhood.
• Villa Coapa - Middle class neighborhood.
• Zona Rosa - Shopping district and tourist area. Also a gay friendly area.