<P> The god indicated that they were getting closer when they arrived at a place called Nexticpan, which is where the San Antonio Abad Hospital is now, and later to a place called Mixiuhcan, now the colonia of Magdalena Mixiuhcan . They wandered another 36 years knowing that they were extremely close . Then they sent two priests named Axolóhua and Cuauhcoatl to look for the sign promised by their god . The two found an islet near the western shore of Lake Texcoco surrounded by green water . In the middle of the islet was a nopal and perched upon it was an eagle with its wings spread and its face looking toward the sun . When the eagle left, Axolóhua submerged himself into the waters around the island and Cuaucoatl went back to report what he saw . The people were confused because what the two priests had seen was only part of the sign they were told to expect . Twenty - four hours later Axolóhua returned stating that while underwater, he saw the god Tlaloc who told him that they did indeed find the place and that they were welcome . They moved to the islet and began to construct their city . Later versions of the story have a snake in the eagle's mouth . The Mexica called their city Tenochtitlan meaning "place of the nopal," referring to the myth of its discovery . Gongora gives the day 18 July 1327, but at least three other codices (Azcatitlan, Mexicanus and Mendoza) placed the time of its founding in the year 1325, and los Anales de Tlatelolco adds the day - sign "1 Zipaktli," correlated to the beginning of summer solstice on 20 June . </P> <P> Thirteen years after the founding of Tenochtitlan, the population of the islet had grown and there was internal strife . A portion of the population left and went to the nearby island of Tlatelolco, establishing a monarchy there, with their first ruler being Acamapitzin . Shortly thereafter, the people of Tenochtitlan had their own monarchy . The two cities became rivals . Eventually, Tenochtitlan conquered Tlatelolco eliminating its rulers and incorporated the city into Tenochtitlan and was named Mexico which some natives didn't like . </P> <P> At its height, just before the Spanish arrived, Tenochtitlan was the center of the vast Aztec Empire, stretching from the Atlantic to Pacific coasts and south towards the Yucatán Peninsula and Oaxaca . With a vast income of tribute, Tenochtitlan grew to become one of the largest and richest urban areas in the world at that time . The city had services and infrastructure that was unheard of in the rest of the world: potable water brought in by aqueducts, drainage systems and wide, paved streets . Their markets boasted of products from nearly every part of Mesoamerica . </P> <P> Tenochtitlan roughly correlates with the historic center of modern Mexico City . During the pre-Hispanic era, the city developed in a planned fashion, with streets and canals aligned with the cardinal directions, leading to orderly square blocks . The island that the city was founded on was divided into four calpullis or neighborhoods that were divided by the main north - south roads leading to Tepeyac and Iztapalapa respectively and the west - east road that lead to Tacuba and to a dike into the lake, respectively . The calpullis were named Cuepopan, Atzacualco, Moyotla and Zoquipan, which had subdivisions and a "tecpan" or district council for each one . The intersection of these roads was the center of the city and of the Aztec world . Here were the main temple, the palaces of the tlatoani or emperors, palaces of nobles such as the "House of the Demons" and the "House of the Flowers". Also located here were the two most renowned Aztec schools: the Telpuchcalli for secular studies and the Calmecac for priestly training . </P>

Before the spanish took over who owned the land that is now mexico