From the Mexican Revolution to World War II

Because the Zócalo embodies a symbolic national power, during the Mexican Revolution it was the frequent scene of bloody clashes: in 1913, a violent confrontation at the Zócalo, called The Ten Tragic Days, led directly to President Francisco I. Madero's overthrow and death. Morphological changes between 1912 and 1913, such as the removal of trees and pavilions, dramatically changed the Zócalo's physiognomy. Between the early 1910s and the end of World War II, the Zócalo confirmed its status as the most important national stage: from pro-labor and urban protest marches (1913 and 1922, respectively), massive rallies in support of the petroleum industry expropriation (1938) to populist speeches (1942) that cemented Mexico's "presidentialism". Concurrently, the Zócalo and surrounding building were significantly transformed: access to the plaza was increased through greater public and private transportation, i.e., Avenida 20 de Noviembre's inauguration; the National Palace had a floor added, Diego Rivera's murals within the Palace expressed national fervor, and Portal de Flores was demolished to make way for the new Departamento del Distrito Federal. This building, inaugurated in 1948 and located on the Zócalo's southern side, added to the plaza's sense of spatial closure.