ESSENTIAL GUIDE MEXICO CITY MEXICO CITY ESSENTIAL GUIDE One of the world’s largest cities, Mexico City offers a wide variety of attractions, activities and experiences for all visitors to its vast expanse. This guide focuses on the essential neighborhoods, museums, parks and other sights that are not to be missed, and which show the city’s great ethnic, architectural, topographical and ecological diversity. It also presents a glimpse at the long and rich history of the Mexican capital, from pre-Hispanic times and the Colonial era to contem- porary life in a city that never ceases to surprise. With this guidebook in hand, you will be able to visit the most avant-garde neighborhoods in terms of fashion and current trends, as well as the most important museums that are most representative of Mexican culture, its art and history, as well as seeing artistic and cultural manifestations from other countries. You can go shopping in the most exclusive areas, visit the markets offering the country’s most diverse range of handcrafts and try the best food on offer across the length and breadth of the city. The guide is divided into five zones: Historic Center; Roma, Conde- sa and Zona Rosa; Reforma, Chapultepec and Polanco; Coyoacán, San Ángel and Tlalpan, and Xochimilco, Milpa Alta, Tláhuac and Cuajimalpa. With this essential guide you will be able to make the most of your stay. No matter how long you plan to stay, this guide will help you to experience the best that the city has to offer. MEXICO CITY THROUGH THE CENTURIES The word ‘Mexico’ comes from 1823 to 1854 1968 the náhuatl words meztli, ‘moon,’ Power struggle between liberals Mexico City hosts the XIX Olympic xictli, ‘center’ or ‘navel,’ and co, and conservatives. Games. ‘place.’ Mexico means ‘in the na- 1855 to 1863 1969 vel of the moon.’ Reform decreed by Mexico’s Inauguration of the METRO rapid president Benito Juárez, known as transportation system. the ‘distinguished of the Americas.’ 1325 1970 Founding of México-Tenochtitlan, 1857 Mexico City hosts the soccer capital of the Mexica empire. 1857 Constitution enacted. World Cup. 1976 1366 to 1519 1877 to 1911 The Basilica of Guadalupe, by Eleven tlatoanis (Mexica Government of general governors or leaders) govern architect Pedro Ramírez Vázquez, Porfirio Díaz. Mexico opens. the city of Tenochtitlan, from the experiences economic growth. Acamapichtli dynasty. Construction of the Palacio de 1986 1450 Bellas Artes begins. Mexico City once again hosts the soccer World Cup. Tenochtitlan’s heyday. The Mexicas 1910 to 1917 dominate much of Mesoamerica. Mexican Revolution. 1987 1519 The Historic Center and Xochimilco 1917 are declared World Heritage Sites Arrival of the Spaniards. Mexica by UNESCO. leader Moctezuma Xocoyotzin Triumph of the Constitutionalists. 1917 Constitution written. Pancho meets with Hernán Cortés on 2002 November 8, 1519. Villa and Emiliano Zapata emerge as leaders. The TURIBÚS (double-decker World Heritage Sites and 1,500 tourism-quality restaurants. restaurants. and 1,500 tourism-quality Heritage Sites World August 13, 1521 open-air bus) network opens. 1920 México-Tenochtitlan falls to the UNESCO 2003 Spaniards. Álvaro Obregón becomes president. Distribution of lands The Torre Mayor, the city’s tallest 1522 to the peasants as a result of the tower, opens. revolution. Hernán Cortés establishes the 2004 Spanish government of the new 1921 The Casa Estudio de Luis Barragán, colony in Coyoacán. Obregón designates José one of the 20th century’s most 1535 Vasconcelos as Education Minister. important architects, is declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The Colony of New Spain is A period of rich cultural output begins. officially established. 2007 1922 September 15, 1810 The Campus of the National The War of Independence begins Mexican muralism is born, with the Autonomous University of Mexico emergence of painters such as Dr. after a call to arms by parish priest (UNAM) is declared a World Atl, Diego Rivera, José Clemente Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla. Heritage Site by UNESCO. Orozco and David Alfaro Siqueiros. September 27, 1821 2010 1938 End of the Independence War. Mexican cuisine is declared Mexico City invaded by the ‘army Expropriation of the oil industry by Intangible World Heritage by of three guarantees’ that fought President Lázaro Cárdenas del Río. UNESCO. against the Spaniards, headed by 1950 to 1960 Agustín de Iturbide. 2012 Mexico City enters a period of The Alameda, the oldest park in 1822 urbanization and the country the Americas, is remodeled. enjoys an economic bonanza Agustín de Iturbide proclaims known as the ‘Mexican miracle.’ 2013 himself emperor of Mexico under the name Agustín I. Mexico City’s mayor declares 1950 to 1970 tourism a priority policy for his 1823 Iconic public buildings open, government. Mexico City is currently home to around 9 million people. It has a vast amount of tourist attractions, including 177 museums, making it the city with including 177 museums, making it the city attractions, of tourist amount It has a vast 9 million people. around home to is currently City Mexico four London; after number of museums in the world largest the second including the UNAM campus and Iturbide’s empire overthrown by the Auditorio Nacional. insurgents. INDEX COYOACÁN, HISTORIC SAN ÁNGEL AND ZONE 1 CENTER ZONE 4 P. 4 TLALPAN P. 15 ROMA, XOCHIMILCO, ZONE 2 CONDESA AND ZONE 5 MILPA ALTA, ZONA ROSA TLÁHUAC AND P. 8 CUAJIMALPA P. 21 PASEO DE LA REFORMA, SPECIAL ZONE 3 CHAPULTEPEC AND SE EVENTS POLANCO P. 24 P. 12 ZÓCALO ZONE 1 The main square is the political, economic, social and religious center of the country. Here is the Templo Mayor, the remains of the Aztec temples, and a statue of an eagle perched on a cac- tus, which the Aztecs interpreted as the chosen place to build their city: Tenochtitlan. The Palacio Nacional, which houses HISTORIC five murals by Diego Rivera, faces the square, as well as city hall CENTER and the Cathedral, the largest and oldest in Mexico. For a pa- noramic view of the square, head for a drink on the terrace of the Hotel Majestic. ZÓCALO — WHAT TO SEE — MUSEO DEL ESTANQUILLO PALACIO POSTAL Isabel la Católica 26 at Madero; Tacuba 1; 5340 3300; open daily 5521 3052; www.museodeles- 10 to 18 hrs. Perhaps the world’s tanquillo.com. Displays the per- most palatial post office, and the sonal collection of late writer and most opulent place from which intellectual Carlos Mon- to send a letter home. The siváis. The museum is a Pachuca quarry stone treasure trove of more ART façade gives way to a than 12,000 objects of AND HISTORY cool enclave of marble Mexican memorabilia, and wrought ironwork from posters and post- imported from Florence. cards to books, cartoons from There are elegant elevators newspapers, and film posters that and the third floor houses the serve as a chronicle of the city. Postal Museum. PALACIO POSTAL PALACIO Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its beautiful Colonial-era DEL ESTANQUILLO MUSEO buildings and monuments, the Historic Center is the heart of the city and where all visits should begin. 4 MUSEO NACIONAL DE ARTE Tacuba 8; 5130 3400; www.mu- nal.mx. This was the Palace of Communications at the turn of AMERICAN TOWER LATIN the 20th century, and is fronted by an equestrian statue. Now the National Art Museum hous- ing a permanent retrospective LA LAGUNILLA of Mexican art from the 16th Eje 1 at Reforma. Divided into century to the present, as well LATIN AMERICAN TOWER three sections, of clothes, as rotating exhibitions from Eje Central 2; 5518 7423; www. antique furniture and bric-a- around the world. toreelatino.com. Once the city’s brac, but you can find almost tallest building, and still a distin- anything here. On Sundays, close to Reforma, there is guishing feature on its skyline. It MUNAL an antiques market, with housed an insurance company in furniture from different eras the 1950s, and which gave the as well as LPs, crockery, vases tower its name. There is a bar and even paintings by famous and restaurant at the top and artists. the observation deck on the 41st floor affords stunning, panoram- ic views of the city. PALACIO DE BELLAS ARTES Av. Juárez at Eje Central; 5512 2593; www.museopalaciodebellasar- tes.mx. The jewel in the crown of PALACIO DE BELLAS ARTES DE BELLAS PALACIO downtown, the palace of fine arts has a dazzling marble exterior and an art deco interior. The interior is decorated with paintings by Diego Rivera, José Clemente Orozco, David Álfaro Siquieros and Rufino Tamayo, while the galleries host visiting exhibitions, and the audi- torium, with a Tiffany curtain, hosts concerts, opera and ballet. HISTORIC CENTER 5 TWO SQUARES WORTH VISITING LA CIUDADELA CORONA SALÓN Plaza de la Ciudadela 1 and 5. One of the largest arts and crafts markets in the city, where scores of stalls sell wares from across the country: embroidered garments from Michoacán or Chiapas, ceramics from Puebla and Mexico state, black pottery from Oaxaca, and silver from Taxco. Look out for the alebrijes, — WHERE TO EAT — brightly painted fantastical creatures fashioned from LA CASA DE LAS SIRENAS SALÓN CORONA paper maché and which República de Guatemala 32, Bolívar 24, Centro; 5512 5725; www. make a fun souvenir. Centro; 5704 3345; www.lacas- saloncorona.com.mx; daily, 8 to 3 adelassirenas.com.mx; Mon-Sat, hrs. One of the center’s best bar/ PLAZA TLAXOAQUE 11 to 23 hrs, Sun until 18 hrs. restaurants to spend an afternoon José María Izazaga at Pino Mexican dishes served in a Co- with a beer and tacos or octopus Suárez. Couples, skaters lonial-era townhouse with a ter- sandwiches, this cantina’s special- and dog-walkers gather race boasting the best view of ty, amid a lively atmosphere.