'Striking' towering Day of the Dead figure draws crowds in Mexico City's Zocalo

Marigolds, skulls and a towering "Catrina" have transformed Mexico City's Zocalo Square ahead of Day of the Dead celebrations. Visitors gather to admire the giant female skeleton, an iconic symbol of the holiday, which serves as the centerpiece of a sprawling ofrenda honoring the memory of the dead.

The multicolored paper perforated with intricate folk art designs is known as "papelpicado" (pecked paper). It is a central element in the lavish altars erected to the deceased on November 1-2 and is also used to festoon homes and streets. Papelpicado originated in this small central Mexican town in the late 19th century.