The Zócalo, Mexico's public square

Over the last 700 years the Zócalo has been shaped by each society's spatial practice: from the pre-Hispanic era as part of the Mexica's Sacred Precinct and Tenochtitlan's market, to AMLO's move in 2018 to reoccupy the National Palace as president, the Zócalo continues to consolidate its place as Mexico City's most important public realm space. Recalling Richard Sennett's defined purpose for the public square "is to intermix persons and diverse activities", the Plaza de la Constitución continues, now more than ever, to fulfill this vital role. At a time when COVID-19 has caused a new line of questioning regarding the relevance and purpose of public spaces, the Zócalo has demonstrated that spaces that embody accumulated layers of spatial history and provide a physical stage for social interaction will prove to be the most important feature and benefit of urban life. It is in Mexico City's Zócalo that Jürgen Habermas' public sphere not only exists, but actually thrives: it provides the interactive realm between the state and individuals, who together, through dialogue and shared experiences, produce the commonalities of daily life that are necessary to enable the perpetuation of democratic and open societies.