The focus of Coyoacán life is its central plaza – actually two adjacent plazas: the Jardín Centenario, with the village’s iconic coyotes frolicking in its central fountain; and the larger, cobblestoned Plaza Hidalgo, with a statue of the eponymous independence hero. It's the scene of most of the weekend fun when people congregate on its benches and in surrounding bars, restaurants, cafes, ice-cream parlours and churro joints.
The Casa de Cortés, on the north side of Plaza Hidalgo, is where conquistador Cortés established Mexico’s first municipal seat during the siege of Tenochtitlán. The south side is dominated by the Parroquia de San Juan Bautista and its adjacent former monastery.