Xochimilco is one of the 16
delegaciones or boroughs within
Mexican Federal District. The borough is centered on the formerly independent city of
Xochimilco, which was established on what was the southern shore of
Lake Xochimilco in the pre-Hispanic period. Today, the borough consists of the eighteen “barrios” or neighborhoods of this city along with fourteen “pueblos” or villages that surround it, covering an area of . While the borough is somewhat in the geographic center of the Federal District, it is considered to be “south” and has an identity separate from the
historic center of Mexico City. This is due to its historic separation from that city during most of its history. Xochimilco is best known for its canals, which are left from what was an extensive lake and canal system that connected most of the settlements of the
Valley of Mexico. These canals, along with artificial islands called
chinampas, attract tourists and other city residents to ride on colorful
gondola-like boats called “
trajineras” around the of canals. This canal and chinampa system, as a vestige of the area’s pre-Hispanic past, has made Xochimilco a
World Heritage Site. In 1950,
Paramahansa Yogananda in his celebrated classic
Autobiography of a Yogi wrote that if there is a scenic beauty contest, Xochimilco will get the First Prize. However, severe environmental degradation of the canals and chinampas has brought that status into question.
