paraphrase :In the past, Mexico City was known as "La Ciudad de los Palacios" or "the City of Palaces," a nickname given to it by the German scientist and explorer NAME_1 when he visited the city in the 19th century. He even wrote a letter to Europe, saying that Mexico City was on par with any major city in Europe. However, it was English politician NAME_2 who truly captured the city's grandeur in his writing. In his Letter V of The NAME_3 in Mexico, he described the city's impressive structures, including its aqueducts, churches, and roads, as well as the "luxurious City of Palaces" that had risen from the ruins of Tenochtitlan. During the colonial period, the city's motto was "Muy Noble e Insigne, Muy Leal e Imperial" or "Very Noble and Distinguished, Very Loyal and Imperial."