Tlaxcala, officially Tlaxcala de Xicohténcatl (Spanish  [tla(k)sˈkala] , Nahuatl: Tlaxcallān Xīcohtēncatl /tɬaʃˈkalːaːn ʃiːkoʔˈteːŋkatɬ/), 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.