Mexico City: Historic Center attractions

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Historic Center Mexico City

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The buildings of the Historic Center date mainly from the colonial and post-independence times but remnants of the great Aztec empire still remain. When Hernan Cortez led his army in the early 1500s in Mexico, they came upon the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan. After conquering the city, the Spanish rebuilt the city on top of the old one.

There are many Mexico City hotel options located in the Historic Center and a great walking tour. Maps of the center may be found to help guide you. Below are a few sites of interest you will find during your Mexico City vacations.

Zocalo

The most famous plaza in Mexico City is located in the historic center. The Zocalo or Constitution Plaza is a public square from the time of the Aztecs originally surrounded by their palaces and temples and built on the same spot where Montezuma's palace once stood. Today it is surrounded by palaces and temples from the colonial era after the inquisition many built with the stones from the ancient ruins.

Metropolitan Cathedral

Construction of the Metropolitan Cathedral began shortly after the fall of the Aztecs around 1524 by the Spanish and continued intermittently throughout the next 3 centuries (during the entire colonial period). The result is a mixture of baroque, gothic, churrigueresque and neoclassical touches. One of the main goals of the Spanish was to construct a church as soon as possible to convert the indigenous to Catholicism.

Over the centuries, this cathedral began to sink into the spongy subsoil, as it was built on top of a lake as well as an the ancient city of Tenochtitlan, but a major engineering project to stabilize the structure was declared successful in 2000

The Cathedral Metropolitan is located in the Zocalo (Constitution Plaza or Plaza de la Constitucion). Inside are 4 identical domes. It contains five principal altars and 16 side chapels each dedicated to saints and manifestations of the Virgin, all decorated with statues and paintings. The clock tower is decorated with statues of Faith, Hope and Charity.

Alameda Park

Mexico City's first park and built on the grounds of an Aztec market. The park was created in 1592 and enlarged in 1766. It's full of sculptures and statues and contains 8 fountains. During the 1860s the park was reserved for the aristocracy and access was prohibited for the "barefoot peasants".

Monument to Benito Juarez

This hemicycle tribute to Juarez is a white marble monument built to commemorate 100 years of independence. It's located on the south side of Alameda Park along Juarez Avenue (Avenida Juarez). Benito Juarez was a famous President known for splitting the church from the state. Juarez was from the indigenous region of Oaxaca and served two terms as President in the 1860s

Palace of Fine Arts (Palacio de Bellas Artes)

Designed by an Italian architect in 1901, but not completed until 1934 as construction was halted during the Revolution which began in 1910. The weight of the building is so massive that it has been sinking a few centimeters yearly since construction due the soft soil. The Palacio is home to the famous Mexican Folkloric Ballet.

Metro Bellas Artes

Subway entrance located next to the Palace of Fine Arts at the intersections of Avenida Juarez and Eje Central Lazaro Cardenas on the eastern end of Alameda Central Park. The art nouveau design of the entrance was a gift given by a French President in 1998. It is a replica of Metro entrances found in Paris.

House of Tiles (Casa de Azulejos)

Now a Sanborn's restaurant inside and former house of a Count. This 17th-Century masterpiece acquired its name from its elaborate tile work. The designs, along with the facade's iron grillwork balconies, make it one of the prettiest Baroque structures in the country. The inside of the restaurant contains a Moorish patio, monumental staircase and a mural by Orozco. Picture taken from in front of the Palace of Fine Arts.

Monument to the Revolution

Located near the Alameda the Monument to the Revolution is an enormous dome supported by four arches. It was originally planned, by Mexican dictator Porifirio Diaz, to be a part of a new parliament building. After Diaz's overthrow, it became a monument to the revolution that deposed him. The remains of Francisco Madero and several other heroes of the Revolution are interred here

Post Office (Palacio Postal)

Main Post Office designed by an Italian architect and an example of Renaissance revival architecture. Constructed of cream-colored sandstone, it epitomizes the grand imitations of European architecture common in Mexico during the Porfiriato - the long dictatorship of Porifirio Diaz (1876-1911). Upstairs you will find the Museo del Palacio Postal. Located next to Palacio de Bellas Artes

Torre Latinoamericana

Skyscraper located in downtown Mexico City near the Palacio de Bellas Artes. There is an observation deck on the 44th floor with impressive views of the city. The tower remained undamaged during both the 1957 and 1985 earthquakes. Located near Palacio de Bellas Artes

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