Tlaxcoaque is a plaza located in the historic center of Mexico City which has given its name to both the 17th-century church that is on it and the blocks that surround it . Historically this plaza and the church that sits on it have marked the southern edge of Mexico City , and today it is on the border of the historic center and Colonia Obrera . The church and plaza are somewhat isolated from the rest of the center due to the construction of wide streets , such as 20 de Noviembre and Fray Servando Teresa de Mier , that separate them from the surrounding buildings . Another notable building in this area is the police surveillance station , which was infamous in the 1970s as a place where detainees were tortured . This stopped after the 1985 Mexico City earthquake exposed handcuffed bodies which had evidence of torture on them . Today , the area around this plaza is semi-deserted outside of work hours and is considered to be a high-crime area . The church itself has experienced break-ins
1985 Mexico City earthquake
1985 Mexico City earthquake
Tlaxcoaque