Layout of Colonial Cities in Latin America

    The Colonial Cities of Latin America were an urban paradise at their initial establishment. Large city centers were constructed according to the Laws of the Indies which laid out specific organizational steps for city planning in colonies. This specific organizational approach allowed early colonial cities in Latin America to make great advances in urbanization and development. These cities were often constructed throughout existing indigenous settlements and cities in order to provide the population base for the rural areas along with workers for undesirable jobs throughout the city. These populations also served as a trophy for early explorers that established the cities as they had inherited a rulable class of people. The goal of conquering and ruling over subjects was what had initially driven the quick urbanization throughout Latin America as these explorers and conquerors traveled to the new world to bask in riches derived from their feats, such as founding a city and ruling over the indigenous populations. 

    More specifically however, the initial city planning of major Latin American cities such as Santo Domingo, Lima, Mexico City, Rio de Janeiro, and Buenos Aires, all shared a common feature. This feature is the Law of the Indies, which laid out not only the steps to procuring the land, but to city and road planning. Many different ordinances were a part of the Laws of the Indies regarding city planning, one that was largely ignored was the rule stating that land must be obtained from the native people harmlessly and with their consent. Regarding the city layout itself, the first main point of the city, must be a plaza in which horses and soldiers could be guided around for fiestas. This main plaza would be the center of the city, which would host a Catholic Church for the ecclesiastic needs of the city, a municipal palace for the administrative and governance needs of the city, and two commercial and/or residential zones on opposing sides of the plaza. The church itself would placed a short distance away from the main plaza as it was to be decorated on all sides as well as to distance it from any hospital for the poor that is built near the main plaza.

    Below are pictures from the Zócalo, which is the main plaza in Mexico City established in 1521 by the conquistador Hernán Cortés.

This picture is of the Metropolitan Cathedral of Mexico City.

This picture is of the National Palace of Mexico City.

    Beyond just Mexico City, many cities around Latin America and the Caribbean follow the same Laws of the Indies. These cities also follow a grid pattern, following the four main roads that follow the perimeter of the main plaza. Below is a geo map displaying the original city planning around the main plaza of the city, containing the church, municipal palaces, and the commercial/residential zones. Explore the map and see the layouts and the variations that certain cities have but still have the key components of the Laws of the Indies.