Tlaxcala, officially
Tlaxcala de Xicohténcatl (
Spanish , ), is the capital city of the
Mexican state of
Tlaxcala and seat of the
municipality of the same name. The city did not exist during the pre Hispanic period but was laid out by the Spanish as a center of evangelization and governance after the
Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire. It was designated as a diocese but eventually lost this status to
Puebla as its population declined. The city still has many of its old colonial structures including the former Franciscan monastery, as well as newer civic structures such as the Xicohténcatl Theater.