I recalled La Alameda, la Avenida Juárez, el Hemiciclo a Juárez, El Palacio de Bellas Artes (The Opera House of Mexico City), La Torre Latinoamericana (once was the tallest building in Mexico, which has not been damaged even by the most frightening earthquake of 8.2 degrees in the scale of Richter in 1985. The engineer who conceived this building died in 2010 at the age of 96).
Walking on la Avenida Juárez (Juarez Avenue) towards la Calle de Madero (Madero Street), it brings me all those memories from my childhood. Memories like going to mass to San Felipe de Jesús (First Mexican Martyr, who got killed by the Japanese in 1597. He was born in 1572 in Mexico City and also did missionary work in the Phillipines. He was a franciscan fray. He is considered The Patron of Mexico City).
Today I went to the Church of San Felipe de Jesús, where my favourite aunty used to take me when I was a child and stayed praying infront of San Felipe de Jesús and infront of Félix de Jesús Rougier.
Another important building in la Calle de Madero is El Palacio de Iturbide (now a museum funded by Fomento Cultural Banamex). Previously it was a bank which used to be called "Banco Nacional de México" in the past until the middle of the 1970s and now it is called BANAMEX.
This building was a Palace where the Emperor Agustin de Iturbide lived and was crowned First Mexican Emperor in Mexico during 1779 to 1785. He was a Mexican Emperor after the Mexican Independence from Spain. This building became The National Bank of Mexico (El Banco Nacional de México) where some relatives and members of my family worked, including my favourite aunty. Today I could see where the offices of my relatives were. Now, this building is a museum where many exhibitions are taking place.
Going towards El Zócalo (The Main Square in Mexico City), it is great to see the European Architecture.
Mexico City is a very rich architectural city. You will find buildings from the Pre-hispanic Era towards the XVI century, XVII, XVIII, XIX, XX and XXI centuries.
It is hard to take photos of just the buildings themselves. There will be always a mass of people crossing and cars crossing. When crossing the road, I can count up to 100 people crossing in one traffic light time.
This is the Main Cultural, Business and Historical Centre. It is the initial part of what Mexico City was (originally called Tenochtitlan) when Spaniards started to dominate the indigenous cultures (the Aztecs in this case), destroying pyramids or temples and using their structure to build european colonial buildings. Then, after the Independece from Spain, many other european buildings, very much like French Style and Florentine Style, were erected.
One example of constructing an european building over an Aztec Temple is La Catedral de México (The Cathedral of Mexico). This cathedral was erected over El Templo Mayor (The Main Aztec Temple in Tenochtitlan constructed in 1325). It is recently that it was discovered this, since the end of the XIX century, beginnings and mid XX century, there were some excavations. But the full scale excavation was authorised until 1978 -1982 by Eduardo Matos Moctezuma, leader archelogist in that time.
So, outside the cathedral, there are some glass protected excavations to appreciate what it remains from the Aztecs under the glass.
The Mexican Cathedral is magnificent. The Engineers from the Engineering Institute, UNAM have been working hard in the maintenance of the cathedral, as it also can be in danger of sinking.
Going back and having lunch at La Casa de los Azulejos (The House of Tiles and Mozaics) in Sanborns (a franchise restaurant, where the first Sanborns was established). That restaurant also has given me lovely memories. The architecture of La Casa de los Azulejos is wonderful. All tiles are white and blue with various designs and very refined style.
I hope I am not boring you more. You can now enjoy the photos. Many of these photos were taken inside the car when I was taken by my sister. Others are taken when walking on the streets.
Driving on Lázaro Cárdenas Avenue towards the downtown of Mexico City, you can appreciate La Torre Latinoamericana, one of the tallest buildings in that area.
Taking Juárez Avenue towards the Centre of México Cit. La Torre Latinoamericana on the background.
El Palacio de Bellas Artes
Guy riding an economical rented bicycle for 45 mins. A plan that has been deviced for ecological reasons. It seems to work very well.
Walking towards la Calle de Madero (Madero Street). Visited the church of San Francisco and a sculpture exhibition around the church.
Visiting the church of San Francisco
Continuing walking over la Calle de Madero (Madero Street) towards El Palacio de Iturbide (Iturbide´s Palace)
Iturbide´s Palace facade
I could not take pictures inside the Palace. It was not permitted. There was an Exhibition of Mexican Fine Art Craft and the documentation of the main Architects who have built Mexico City´s Highlights, including this Palace and El Palacio de Bellas Artes (The Opera House of México), El Edificio de la Central de Correos, La Torre Latinoamericana, La Universidad Autónoma Nacional de México (UNAM), Frida´s and Diego Rivera´s houses and studios, other artists´ houses or studios, Museums too.
Walking further, you will see a series of beautiful buildings from the XIX Century most of them. Enjoy the walk.
We are approaching El Zócalo (The Main Square) where very important Government Buildings or Palaces and the Cathedral of Mexico are erected. El Palacio Nacional (The Main Government National Palace) dominates one side of the Square, then El Edificio del Gobierno del Distrito Federal (Federal District Government Building) another side, then there are Hotels and Restaurants and other businesses on the other side, and finally on the fourth side, La Catedral de México (The Cathedral of Mexico). Under the Cathedral, there have been some excavations showing what was built by the Aztecs before the Spaniards came. There is El Templo Mayor (The Main Aztec Temple) under the Cathedral.
The Interiors of the Cathedral
Here are the Interiors of La Casa de los Azulejos (The House of Tiles and Mozaics). This is now a Restaurant called Sanborns with NewsAgent and Shops.
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