Metro Acatitla

Metro Acatitla is the main station for the original settlement of Santa Martha Acatitla. The next Metro station, Santa Marta, is named for same ancient kingdom, but it’s a bit further down the track and technically in the Ermita Zaragoza Housing Unit.

The station logo is a stylized version of a glyph found symbolizing the Day of the Reed, from an ancient solar calendar found in the Atlas of Durán. The name, Acatitla, can be translated from the Nahuatl as “place of abundant reeds.”

Acatitla is today primarily visited for the Church and former Franciscan monastery. This was built on top of the ancient ceremonial platform and pyramid. Although it briefly housed a military barracks during the 19th century, it’s remarkably intact.

The town only became part of Iztapalapa, and thus of Mexico City, in the 20th century. The remarkable growth in population surrounded the ancient town. It retains a Mesoamerican core which is visible, and walkable.

The town center, and the neighborhood market, are just about a ten-minute walk from Metro Acatitla. Santiago Acahualtepec, another Iztapalapa original settlement, is just south of Santa Martha. The two towns are often visited together. The center (parish church) of Santiago is just about a 20-minute walk to the south and east.