Primary sourceDocument1524

1524 Nuremberg Map of Tenochtitlan

Unknown engraver, published by Friedrich Peypus · 1524

Europe's first printed map of the Aztec capital, published with Cortés's second letter to Charles V.

This map illustrated Cortés's own letter, shaping Europe's first view of the city he conquered.

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Woodcut-style map from 1524 showing the Gulf of Mexico coastline on the left and the island city of Tenochtitlan on the right, with canals, causeways, temple precinct, and a Latin inscription at top, colored by hand. — Map of Tenochtitlan, printed with Cortés's letters, Nuremberg, 1524.

About this source

What it is

This woodcut map of Tenochtitlán was printed in Nuremberg in 1524 alongside the Latin edition of Cortés's letters. It is based on material believed to date from 1520, sent to Spain by Cortés's secretary, Juan de Ribera.

Why it matters

The map shaped how Europeans pictured the Aztec capital, showing its lakes, causeways and temple precinct as described in Cortés's account. It reveals how Cortés's report controlled the first European image of a great indigenous city, since the information passed through his own secretary.

Look closer

Whose version of the city does this map represent — Spanish, indigenous, or both?
Why would Cortés want such a detailed map included with his letter?
What might this map leave out about the people who actually lived there?

This document is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Hernán Cortés on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.