Downtown Mexico City


In the morning, Greg and I walked back to the center of Coyoacán to the Artists’ Market. 


There are so many interesting, beautiful buildings. 



In the afternoon, we drove to the downtown area of Mexico City. Officially known as the Plaza de la Constitución, El Zócalo is a huge square marking the historic center of the city. Prior to the Spanish invasion, El Zócalo was the principal ceremonial site for the Aztecs. El Zócalo is the center of government which makes it a popular place for protests and political rallies. 



On one side of El Zócalo is the Palacio National de México where the President of Mexico lives and works. It is also a place where many of Diego Rivera’s murals that depict the history of Mexico reside. Unfortunately, due to the pandemic, the mural area is still closed off to the public. 


On another side of El Zócalo is the Catedral Metropolitana, one of the America’s oldest cathedrals. 



The cathedral was built very close to the Temple Mayor which was the center of Tenochitilán, the Aztec Capital City. It is still possible to see portions of Temple Mayor. 


On another side of El Zócalo is the Mexico City Government Building which has been the site of city administration since Cortés defeated the Aztecs and built the first town hall between 1526 and 1532. In 1910, the building was remodeled for the upcoming centennial of Mexico’s independence. The building is stunning!


We were fortunate to have Mariana’s mom give us a tour and share more about the history of the government center. There is a message on the wall that she pointed out “ To govern the city is to serve it.”













We then headed out to walk around the city center. Madero is a wide pedestrian street that is lined with shops. 




The Palacio de Bellas Artes (Palace of Fine Arts) hosts events in music, dance, theatre, opera as well as exhibitions of painting, sculpture, and photography. 





We had a wonderful day!

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