Historical Center of Mexico City
See the Top Sights: Zócalo, Churches, Museums, Palaces, and Murals
Top sights to see in the historical center (centro historico) of Mexico City include the Zócalo plaza, churches, museums, palaces, and murals by Rivera and Orozco.
The Zócalo – Plaza de la Constitución
The Zócalo is the huge, over 240 x 240 m (800 x 800 ft) public square at the center of Mexico City. This plaza is used for festivals, protests, exhibitions, and events.
On its northern side is the Metropolitan Cathedral – built from 1563 to 1813 in a variety of styles including the Renaissance, Baroque, and Neo Classical. The rich interior is mostly Baroque.
The Palacio Nacional (National Palace) runs the full length of the Zócalo’s eastern side. The huge murals by Diego Rivera of Mexican history and culture are the main reasons to visit.
The Templo Mayor is the excavated remains of the Aztecs’ principal temple. The museum has some of the most important anthropological finds in Mexico outside Mexico City’s excellent National Museum of Anthropology.
Murals to the North of the Zócalo
In the blocks to the north of the Zócalo are a couple of palaces, which are mostly visited to see murals by Mexico’s most famous artist of the early 20th century:
- Antiguo Colegio (Former College) de San Ildefonso – murals by Siqueiros, Orozco, and Rivera.
- Secretaría de Educación Pública (Education Ministry) – murals by Rivera.
- Antigua Aduana (Former Customs House) – mural by Siqueiros.
Hernán Cortés Sights to South of the Zócalo
To the south of the Zócalo are a couple of lesser-known sights related to the Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés:
- In the Iglesia de Jesús de Nazareth, in a small urn simply marked HC, is the remains of Hernán Cortés. The Apocalypse mural by Orozco was inspired by the horrors of the Second World War.
- The Hospital de Jesús, founded by Cortés in 1524, is still in daily use. Despite a more modern façade, it is at its core the original and thus one of the oldest functioning buildings in Mexico City. It has some fine patios and a small bust of Cortés – reputedly the only public memorial in the city honoring the great conquistador. The mural by Orozco depicts the first meeting between Cortés and Moctezuma, which according to legend occurred here.
West of the Zócalo towards the Alameda
The streets leading from the Zócalo westwards towards the Alameda Central park are lined with some fine palaces. Most are still used as shops but look upwards to appreciate the beautiful details in the façades.
In Avenida Francisco I Madero:
- The beautifully restored 18th-century Palacio de Iturbe is used by Banamex bank as exhibition area for rotating art collections (admission free).
- The 16th-century Casa de los Azulejos is clad with 18th-century blue-and-white tiles. It houses a Sanborn’s restaurant (moderately priced Mexican and international food) but is worth entering to see the colonial courtyard and Orozco mural.
- The Torre Latinoamericana was completed in 1956 and at 182 m (600 ft) was the tallest building in Mexico for decades. Its observation desk offers excellent views on clear days.
In Avenida Tacuba:
- The National Art Museum has a large collection of Mexican art from the 16th century to around 1950. The Neo Classical building was completed in 1911 while the famous equestrian statue of Spanish King Charles IV is a century older.
- The Palacio de Minería was completed in 1813 and is considered the best example of Neo Classical architecture in Mexico City.
- The Palacio de Correos is Mexico’s main post office. This interesting building using an eclectic style is from the early 20th century and still in use as post office.
Alameda Central Park Area
The tree-rich Alameda Central Park was once a fashionable hangout spot for the city’s elite. Nowadays, it is still very busy with vendors of all kinds (and best avoided after dark). The large marble monument is in honor of Benito Juarez, a beloved Mexican president during the mid-19th century.
Next to the Alameda Central is the huge, white marble Palacio de las Bellas Artes. This theater was planned for the centennial celebrations of Mexico’s independence in 1910 but was only completed in the 1930s. As a result, it has an Art Nouveau exterior but an Art Deco interior – both splendid examples of the genres.
To the west of the park is a museum with the huge Dream of a Sunday Afternoon in the Alameda Central mural by Diego Rivera.
- In addition to the very interesting historical center, Mexico City also has many other top sights worth exploring. Cheap flights from the Mexican capital on domestic low-cost airlines also put other destinations in Mexico within easy reach.
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