Description

A very rare “special edition” of the official plan of Mexico City showcasing the metropolis and its environs towards the end of the ‘Porfiriato’, whereupon Mexico enjoyed unprecedented peace and stability and (albeit highly unequal) economic growth, making its capital a globally important financial and cultural centre; the large format map labels 221 sites and depicts the city’s rapid expansion towards its west and south; the map, commissioned by the government of Mexico’s ‘Federal District’, was specially published in honour of Mexico City hosting the 10th International Geological Congress, an event which highlighted the city’s rising importance.

This large format separately issued map showcases Mexico City near the end of the ‘Porfiriato” (1876 – 1911), the era when Mexico was ruled by President Porfirio Díaz, during which the nation enjoyed unprecedented peace and stability, buoyed by rapid industrialization and (albeit highly unequal) economic growth. During this time, Mexico City transitioned from being a post-colonial backwater into a globally significant centre of culture and finance, and was, in many ways, equivalent to the great European capitals. Its population started to grow significantly (the Porfiriato commenced the national trend towards urbanization), while it became a major transportation hub (owing to the era’s railway boom). Vast amounts of money flowed into the city, from mining, agrarian and industrial enterprises, while its scientists and artists gained global renown.

The map is an “Edición especial” of the official map of the city commissioned by the local government, the Consejo Superior de Gobierno del Distrito Federal, in honour of the 10th International Geological Congress (September 6-14, 1906), a prestigious academic conference that was reflective of Mexico City’s rising status.

The present map embraces the entire expanse of Mexico City, which is marked by large Roman numerals, dividing it into 8 demarcaciones territoriales (boroughs). The traditional colonial city, with its even grid of streets, occupies the left-centre, while the city’s suburbs are shown to be quickly expanding to the west and south, with the grand Parisian-style allée, the Paseo de la Reforma, running from the old city to the Chapultepec (Presidential) Palace, being a focus for urbanisation. Areas already built-up are shaded in grey, while areas of incipient urbanization are shaded in yellow. Railways enter the city from almost all directions, while some of North America’s largest railway yards lie to the north, indicative of Mexico City’s role as a great transportation hub.

The outlines of the city’s major edifices (Mexico is known as the “City of Palaces”) are shown in red diagonal lines, while the legend, entitled ‘Edificios y establecimientos publicos’ identifies the locations of 221 major buildings and sites, including parish churches, other Catholic churches, Protestant churches, public buildings (ex. the Palacio Nacional, Museo Nacional, etc.), theatres, jails, hotels (numbering over 50!), telegraph offices, casinos and markets. This shows Mexico City to be extremely well appointed, with a diverse and sophisticated array of institutions and amenities.

Explained in the small legend, in the lower right corner, identifies the lines of Mexico City’s extensive ‘Líneas férreas’ (tramway system), which inaugurated in the late 1850s, was since 1900 switching from animal to electric power, being one of the impressive technological advances of the Porfiriato.

The map shows Mexico City in a golden, bygone era, well before the exponential growth, which commenced in the 1960s, turned it into a chaotic megalopolis.

A Note on Editions and Rarity

The present work is part of a map sequence of Mexico City plans published by the Compañía Litográfica y Tipográfica, with issues dated 1900, 1906, 1907 and 1917.

All editions of the map are very rare, with the present “special edition” being especially uncommon. We can trace only 3 institutional examples, held by Yale University (Beinecke Library), Harvard University Library, and Princeton University (Firestone Library).

References: Yale University (Beinecke Library): 88 M57 1906; Harvard University Library: G4414.M6 1906 .M4 oversize; Princeton University (Firestone Library): HMC02.345.