Casa de Cultura Chicomecóatl

The Casa de Cultura Chicomecóatl is a neighborhood cultural center in the giant Cerro de la Estrella neighborhood just south of the Cerro itself. Like the best cultural centers in Mexico City, this one came together when neighborhood parents saw their kids getting into trouble with nothing to do after school.

In 2010, they opened the casa mostly as a center for kid’s art projects. Since then, they’ve expanded to include continuing education, dance, martial arts, and creativity more generally. The ideas have made the place into a bedrock for the community.

• Chicomecóatl is an ancient goddess whose name might translate from the Nahuatl as Seven Serpent. During the Postclassic period, Chicomecóatl served as the chief goddess of maize. Today, experts refer to the figure as a goddess of agriculture, nourishment, and the female aspects of maize. Centeōtl takes up the male side of things and generally gets depicted as ears of corn. Bother were highly honored during the vigil of Huey Tozoztli when priestesses from her cult designated seed corn to be planted in the coming season. The dried seed maize was thus called Chicomecōātl. That intended for consumption bore the name Cinteotl.

The Casa de Cultura Chicomecóatl is roughly a 20-minute walk north of Metro Calle 11. Visitors will often head over from the Canal Nacional area. But then, much of the area is on the upswing, so nearby places to eat and drink are increasing in number too.