Tacubaya
Encyclopedia
Tacubaya is a section of Mexico City
located in the west in the Miguel Hidalgo borough
. The area has been inhabited since before the Christian era, with its name coming from Nahuatl
meaning “where water is gathered.” From the colonial period to the beginning of the 20th century, Tacubaya was an entity separate from Mexico City
and many of the city’s wealthy, including viceroy
s, had residences here to enjoy the area’s scenery. From the mid 19th century on, Tacubaya began to urbanize both due to the growth of Mexico City and the growth of its own population. Along with this urbanization, the area has degraded into one of the poor sections of the city and is the home of “La Ciudad Perdida” (The Lost City), a shantytown where people live in shacks of cardboard and other materials. Many of the mansions that were built here in the 19th century remain, such as the Casa Amarillo and Casa de la Bola, but most Mexico City residents are familiar with it due to its transportation hub on Avenida Jalisco where the Metro
, Metrobus
and many street buses all converge.
This area was designated as a "Barrio Mágico"
by the city in 2011.
s. This prehistoric settlement eventually divided into a ceremonial center in the north and housing in the south, showing signs of influence from the Teotihuacan
culture. The Mexica
first arrived in 1276 but then left in 1279, when they moved on to Chapultepec. Its original Nahuatl name was Acozcomac then later it was renamed Atlalcuihaya. The name is from Nahuatl and means “where water is gathered.” The second name was hispanicized to Tacubaya when the Spanish built a monastery here called San José de Tacubaya in the early colonial period.
The area was important to the Spaniards in the early colonial period. After the Conquest, the Spanish founded several churches, monasteries and large mansions in this area. Viceroys spent time here because of the area’s natural beauty. Because of this, the area quickly became divided into zones between the rich and poor. Tacubaya consisted of wide flat area and had free flowing rivers that supplied fresh water to Mexico City. Moving the capital of New Spain from Mexico City (now the historic center) to Tacubaya was considered early in the colonial period but it never happened. After the end of the Mexican War of Independence
in the 19th century, Tacubaya remained a popular getaway for the wealthy. Over the 19th century, as communal property rights were dismantled in favor of private property, many of the well-to-do bought land here for second homes, making it a summer home suburb of Mexico City.
This was the scene of the Plan of Tacubaya which set off the Reform War
. In 1861, Benito Juárez
named it Tacubaya de los Mártires (of the Martyrs) in honor of those who lost their lives on 11 April 1859.
Tacubaya remained a mostly rural suburb of Mexico City until the second half of the 19th century. The urbanization of Tacubaya was a gradual process that occurred from this time until about 1930. This urbanization was the result of both the population growth of Tacubaya and the growth of Mexico City proper, both of which changed the economic, transportation and political scene here. Community property was dismantled in favor of private property by the Liberals in order to promote economic development. This brought foreign investment which led to immigrant communities, mostly of Spaniards. This pushed the indigenous population to the periphery of the municipality. Development of the economy led to the establishment of rail and trolley lines, as well as streets and roads for automobiles. The creation of the Departmento del Distrito Federal eliminated the municipal government structure here, and integrated the area politically with the city. Eventually, Tacubaya became a important commercial center for Mexico City, linking the city with the west of the country. In the early 20th century, first tall structure of the Mexico City area was built here, called the Ermita Conjunto or Triángulo de Tacubaya, which was at the vanguard architecturally at the time in Art Deco
style. For many years, this building housed the Cine Hipódromo and the Teatro Hipódromo. Other major constructions such as El Jardin followed, changing the rural nature of the area.
The main river through here is the Tacubaya River, but since the 1970s, this river has been channeled into tunnels underneath the streets.
Tacubaya is the home of singer Javier Solís
and boxer Finito López. Films such as Los Olvidados
, Amores Perros
, and Perfume de Violetas
have been shot here.
Since its height in the late 19th and early 20th century, this area has degraded considerably. Stately mansions that line the sides of the Alameda and used to house the political and intellectual elite now sit among garbage, alcoholics and drug trafficking. There have been attempts to clean the area up and restore it, but there are disputes between residents and the borough of Miguel Hidalgo as to how to do this. Residents want the federal agency INAH to intervene to protect buildings such as the Justo Sierra House, now a primary school, and the Parish of La Candelaria, which is over 450 years old. The borough of Miguel Hidalgo has established a “consejo ciudadano” or citizen’s council to allow public participation in the “Renace” Project. The goals are to work on issues such as peddlers, shootings, pothole repair, crime and the maintenance of historic buildings.
The Alameda Tacubaya Park is located on Avenida Revolución, between Parque Lira and José María Vigil. When this neighborhood was at its height, the park was surrounded by mansions with large gardens, where the political and intellectual classes had country homes. In the center of the park is an obelisk honoring the Mártires de Tacubaya. Today the area is very much deteriorated, with the park inhabited by alcoholics and drug addicts, surrounded by garbage. Recently, the fountain that surrounded the obelisk was taken out and flat concrete put in its place. Other items that have been removed include ironwork benches with the Juarez eagle on them. The former pavement has been replaced with that of lesser quality.
The Luis Barragán House and Studio
is located on General Francisco Ramirez street. Barragán was a major figure in Mexican culture, whose works have served to influence architects to the present day. His designs feature vibrant colors, fluid sequences of space and subdued lighting, and are based on traditional Mexican designs. His work earned him the 1980 Pritzker Prize
, the most important in the field of architecture. His best-known works include The chapel of the Convent de las Capuchinas, his residence in Tacubaya and Torres de Satélite
. The house was opened to the public in 1994 and remains as Barragan left it when he died in 1988. It is one of the modern architectural works that was recognized as a World Heritage Site
in 2004. Visits are by appointment only and cost 100 pesos. He built the house to be simple on the outside and blend in with the rest of the neighborhood. Inside is where the creativity is located, with the arrangement of space, lighting and the integration of nature with the interior. The house in Tacubaya stands out in part due to its use of wood and stone, roofs held up with large beams and with tones of white, rose and yellow dominating. The windows focus on the interior garden.
The Casa Amarilla (Yellow House) on Avenide Parque Lira is now used as offices for the borough. Some indicate that the house was built in 1618 with the intention of making is a monastery and a rest home for Franciscan
priests. Some state that the name comes from the Marquis de la Amarillas, Agustin de Ahumada y Villalon who supposedly lived here at one time. Others state simply that it is due to the house traditionally being painted yellow. During the Reform Laws
, the property was secularized and became government property. It was later owned by a number of wealthy families, before passing back into the hands of the government, which made it a juvenile detention facility. In 1979, the house was restored to its original architectural design to house offices of the Borough of Miguel Hidalgo. Next to the Casa Amarilla was built a chapel dedicated to the Virgin of Guadalupe. It was closed in 1926 and then converted first into storage and then into an orphanage. In the early 1990s, it was converted into a public library called the Carlos Chávez General Library with a collection of over 28,000 volumes.
The Casa de la Bola Museum is located on Parque Lira. This house is situated on what was the Villa de San Juan Tacubaya owned by Dr. Francisco Bazán Albornoz in 1916, who was an Inquisitor. Later the house had various owners including Archbishop Mateo Saga de Buquiero, Sebastián Guzmán y Córdova and Antonio de Osorio. According to oral tradition, this house also hosted Güera Rodríguez, Marquesa Calderón de la Barca and José Zorrilla as guests. Today the museum is administrated by the Antonio Haghenbeck Cultural Foundation, named after the last private owner of the house.
Los Pinos
is located on Parque Lira and Calzada Molino del Rey. This is the official residence of the president of Mexico. Originally, it was the Hormiga Ranch, which was established at the end of the 17th century by the De la Torre family.
National Meteorological Observatory
is located on Avenida Observatorio. The building was offices of the archbishop and viceroy Antonio de Visarón y Eguiarreta built on lands he owned here. This house and land has seen visitors such as kings and presidents as well as invading armies. In the 20th century, the building was converted into the Museum of Astronomy, Geography and Meteorology. Today, it houses installations of the national weather service.
The Cartography Museum is located on Avenida Observatorio in what used to be the monastery of San Diego. It was built and occupied by the Dieguino sect of the Franciscans, with funds donated by Mateo Mauleón. In 1847, this monastery was occupied by American troops under General Winfield Scott
. One year later, liberal forces invaded and sacked the hospital. During the Cristero War, the monastery closed its doors due to the violence. The building was not reopened until the founding of the museum.
The Ermita Building is considered an important example of Art Deco architecture and was the first high rise to be constructed in the Mexico City area. Its main facade is truncated on one corner and is topped by a series of horizontal plaques. The side facades also have plaques on the face, balconies and pilasters decorated in metal which define the movie theater area. Access to the commercial area is formed by an Art Deco arch. The building was criticized as a “concrete ax” in the 1920s after it was built. The construction of this building was partially aimed at the revitalization of the area in the 1930s. This building was to serve as a catalyst for change and for modernization. The building is eight floors high. However, this height caused opposition and an adjoining building, the Isabel Conjunto, was scaled back to four floors. Both were innovative at the time because they mixed different uses in the same building, commercial centers on the ground floor and residences on the upper floors. The building is commonly called “Canada” due to the large lighted “Canada” (a chain of stores in Mexico) which has been here since the 1950s. The building is in disrepair, in part from the addition of advertising signs, such as those for Coca Cola, Camel and Sol, without adapting the building to their weight. These signs also hide the building’s characteristics. The building has had no major restoration work done on it since it was inaugurated in 1931 and few consider it worth saving despite its historic importance.
Hospital Pediatrico Tacubaya (Tacubaya Pediatric Hospital) specializes in the treatment of burn victims, treating about 680 children with severe burns each year. The cost of caring for these patients is between 25,00 to 30,000 pesos per day, with the average patients hospitalized for two weeks.
with wood roofs were built, forming the narrow streets that are found here. The area is filled with garbage and the smell of urine and stagnant water from drains that no longer work. Drug use entered this area in the 1980s, first with marijuana, then with cocaine. Eventually, the area became a drug distribution center. Neighbors say that most of the people in the lost city are transvestites, drug addicts, thieves as well as entire families, of which there are an estimated hundred. Residence of both the shacks and the permanent buildings say that they have been promised solutions to their problems, but nothing is done.
, which is a major artery for commuters. The slow traffic during rush hours (6–10 am and 6–9 pm) began to attract thieves. These thieves specialize in “cristalazos” (“cristal”=glass – “azo”= hit), in which the perpetrator approaches a stalled car, smashes in a side window and takes possessions and/or demands money. The main danger area is on the Periferico between Calle 4 and Avenida Jalisco during rush hour as well as on 11 de Abril and Héroes de Padierna streets. Authorities have identified four gangs which are dedicated to assaulting automobiles in the Tacubaya and Observatorio neighborhoods. Since 2007, 24 hour a day police patrols are stationed on the identified roads up to the Lost City.
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
located in the west in the Miguel Hidalgo borough
Miguel Hidalgo, D.F.
Miguel Hidalgo is one of the 16 delegaciones into which Mexico's Federal District is divided. The borough includes some of the most affluent parts of Mexico City, such as Lomas de Chapultepec and Polanco. Its population at the 2010 census was 372,889 inhabitants, and it lies at an elevation of...
. The area has been inhabited since before the Christian era, with its name coming from Nahuatl
Nahuatl
Nahuatl is thought to mean "a good, clear sound" This language name has several spellings, among them náhuatl , Naoatl, Nauatl, Nahuatl, Nawatl. In a back formation from the name of the language, the ethnic group of Nahuatl speakers are called Nahua...
meaning “where water is gathered.” From the colonial period to the beginning of the 20th century, Tacubaya was an entity separate from Mexico City
Historic center of Mexico City
The historic center of Mexico City is also known as the "Centro" or "Centro Histórico." This neighborhood is focused on the Zócalo or main plaza in Mexico City and extends in all directions for a number of blocks with its farthest extent being west to the Alameda Central The Zocalo is the largest...
and many of the city’s wealthy, including viceroy
Viceroy
A viceroy is a royal official who runs a country, colony, or province in the name of and as representative of the monarch. The term derives from the Latin prefix vice-, meaning "in the place of" and the French word roi, meaning king. A viceroy's province or larger territory is called a viceroyalty...
s, had residences here to enjoy the area’s scenery. From the mid 19th century on, Tacubaya began to urbanize both due to the growth of Mexico City and the growth of its own population. Along with this urbanization, the area has degraded into one of the poor sections of the city and is the home of “La Ciudad Perdida” (The Lost City), a shantytown where people live in shacks of cardboard and other materials. Many of the mansions that were built here in the 19th century remain, such as the Casa Amarillo and Casa de la Bola, but most Mexico City residents are familiar with it due to its transportation hub on Avenida Jalisco where the Metro
Mexico City Metro
The Mexico City Metro , officially called Sistema de Transporte Colectivo, is a metro system that serves the metropolitan area of Mexico City...
, Metrobus
Mexico City Metrobús
Metrobús is a bus rapid transit system in Mexico City, Mexico. It comprises 3 lines that traverse the city and connect with other forms of transit. It was officially opened to the public with service along Line 1 on 19 June 2005...
and many street buses all converge.
This area was designated as a "Barrio Mágico"
Barrios Mágicos of Mexico City
The “Barrios Mágicos” of Mexico City is a list of twenty one areas in the Federal District, which have been named “magical neighborhoods” in order to attract tourism to them. The program is sponsored by the city government but is patterned after the “Pueblos Mágicos” program of the Mexican...
by the city in 2011.
History
Archeological evidence shows continuous human habitation here since between 450 and 250 BCE by the ChichimecaChichimeca
Chichimeca was the name that the Nahua peoples of Mexico generically applied to a wide range of semi-nomadic peoples who inhabited the north of modern-day Mexico and southwestern United States, and carried the same sense as the European term "barbarian"...
s. This prehistoric settlement eventually divided into a ceremonial center in the north and housing in the south, showing signs of influence from the Teotihuacan
Teotihuacan
Teotihuacan – also written Teotihuacán, with a Spanish orthographic accent on the last syllable – is an enormous archaeological site in the Basin of Mexico, just 30 miles northeast of Mexico City, containing some of the largest pyramidal structures built in the pre-Columbian Americas...
culture. The Mexica
Mexica
The Mexica were a pre-Columbian people of central Mexico.Mexica may also refer to:*Mexica , a board game designed by Wolfgang Kramer and Michael Kiesling*Mexica , a 2005 novel by Norman Spinrad...
first arrived in 1276 but then left in 1279, when they moved on to Chapultepec. Its original Nahuatl name was Acozcomac then later it was renamed Atlalcuihaya. The name is from Nahuatl and means “where water is gathered.” The second name was hispanicized to Tacubaya when the Spanish built a monastery here called San José de Tacubaya in the early colonial period.
The area was important to the Spaniards in the early colonial period. After the Conquest, the Spanish founded several churches, monasteries and large mansions in this area. Viceroys spent time here because of the area’s natural beauty. Because of this, the area quickly became divided into zones between the rich and poor. Tacubaya consisted of wide flat area and had free flowing rivers that supplied fresh water to Mexico City. Moving the capital of New Spain from Mexico City (now the historic center) to Tacubaya was considered early in the colonial period but it never happened. After the end of the Mexican War of Independence
Mexican War of Independence
The Mexican War of Independence was an armed conflict between the people of Mexico and the Spanish colonial authorities which started on 16 September 1810. The movement, which became known as the Mexican War of Independence, was led by Mexican-born Spaniards, Mestizos and Amerindians who sought...
in the 19th century, Tacubaya remained a popular getaway for the wealthy. Over the 19th century, as communal property rights were dismantled in favor of private property, many of the well-to-do bought land here for second homes, making it a summer home suburb of Mexico City.
This was the scene of the Plan of Tacubaya which set off the Reform War
Reform War
The Reform War in Mexico is one of the episodes of the long struggle between Liberal and Conservative forces that dominated the country’s history in the 19th century. The Liberals wanted a federalist government, limiting traditional Catholic Church and military influence in the country...
. In 1861, Benito Juárez
Benito Juárez
Benito Juárez born Benito Pablo Juárez García, was a Mexican lawyer and politician of Zapotec origin from Oaxaca who served five terms as president of Mexico: 1858–1861 as interim, 1861–1865, 1865–1867, 1867–1871 and 1871–1872...
named it Tacubaya de los Mártires (of the Martyrs) in honor of those who lost their lives on 11 April 1859.
Tacubaya remained a mostly rural suburb of Mexico City until the second half of the 19th century. The urbanization of Tacubaya was a gradual process that occurred from this time until about 1930. This urbanization was the result of both the population growth of Tacubaya and the growth of Mexico City proper, both of which changed the economic, transportation and political scene here. Community property was dismantled in favor of private property by the Liberals in order to promote economic development. This brought foreign investment which led to immigrant communities, mostly of Spaniards. This pushed the indigenous population to the periphery of the municipality. Development of the economy led to the establishment of rail and trolley lines, as well as streets and roads for automobiles. The creation of the Departmento del Distrito Federal eliminated the municipal government structure here, and integrated the area politically with the city. Eventually, Tacubaya became a important commercial center for Mexico City, linking the city with the west of the country. In the early 20th century, first tall structure of the Mexico City area was built here, called the Ermita Conjunto or Triángulo de Tacubaya, which was at the vanguard architecturally at the time in Art Deco
Art Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
style. For many years, this building housed the Cine Hipódromo and the Teatro Hipódromo. Other major constructions such as El Jardin followed, changing the rural nature of the area.
The main river through here is the Tacubaya River, but since the 1970s, this river has been channeled into tunnels underneath the streets.
Tacubaya is the home of singer Javier Solís
Javier Solís
Javier Solís was a popular Mexican singer of boleros and rancheras, and a film actor.-Early history:...
and boxer Finito López. Films such as Los Olvidados
Los olvidados
Los Olvidados is a 1950 Mexican film directed by Spanish filmmaker Luis Buñuel....
, Amores Perros
Amores perros
Amores perros is a 2000 neorealist Mexican film, directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu. Amores Perros is the first movie in Iñárritu's trilogy of death, and was followed by 21 Grams and Babel. It is a triptych; an anthology film, sometimes referred to as the "Mexican Pulp Fiction," containing...
, and Perfume de Violetas
Violet Perfume: No One Is Listening
Violet Perfume: No One Is Listening is a 2001 Mexican film directed by Maryse Sistach. It was Mexico's submission to the 74th Academy Awards for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, but was not accepted as a nominee.-See also:...
have been shot here.
Since its height in the late 19th and early 20th century, this area has degraded considerably. Stately mansions that line the sides of the Alameda and used to house the political and intellectual elite now sit among garbage, alcoholics and drug trafficking. There have been attempts to clean the area up and restore it, but there are disputes between residents and the borough of Miguel Hidalgo as to how to do this. Residents want the federal agency INAH to intervene to protect buildings such as the Justo Sierra House, now a primary school, and the Parish of La Candelaria, which is over 450 years old. The borough of Miguel Hidalgo has established a “consejo ciudadano” or citizen’s council to allow public participation in the “Renace” Project. The goals are to work on issues such as peddlers, shootings, pothole repair, crime and the maintenance of historic buildings.
Landmarks
The best-known area of Tacubaya is a stretch of Avenida Jalisco. Lines 1, 7 and 9 of the Metro, as well as the end of Line 2 of the Metrobus and numerous busses intersect at what the government called the Centro de Transferencia Modal, located along Avenida Jalisco between Carlos Lazo and Tordo streets. (Cetram) Over 200 mostly-small (micro) busses converge here from twelve different routes. Each day 20,000 private cars pass through area around Avenida Jalisco as well, with a total of about 850,000 vehicles. In October 2009, the government worked to remove the nearly 1,000 peddlers who set up stands here, blocking sidewalks and streets. However, neighbors say this is impossible to do permanently since the peddlers need to earn money. Even without the vendors the traffic situation is chaotic with busses lining up on the street waiting for passengers and blocking lanes and intersections and with piles of garbage on the streets. Buses and taxis park and stop illegally in prohibited areas because there are too many for the police to control. There are 18 lanes total on the main roads here (Revolución, Viaducto, Benjamin Franklin and Parque Lira streets) but generally 13 of them are blocked by buses and other public transport.The Alameda Tacubaya Park is located on Avenida Revolución, between Parque Lira and José María Vigil. When this neighborhood was at its height, the park was surrounded by mansions with large gardens, where the political and intellectual classes had country homes. In the center of the park is an obelisk honoring the Mártires de Tacubaya. Today the area is very much deteriorated, with the park inhabited by alcoholics and drug addicts, surrounded by garbage. Recently, the fountain that surrounded the obelisk was taken out and flat concrete put in its place. Other items that have been removed include ironwork benches with the Juarez eagle on them. The former pavement has been replaced with that of lesser quality.
The Luis Barragán House and Studio
Luis Barragán House and Studio
The Luis Barragán House and Studio, located in the Tacubaya suburb of Mexico City, was the residence of architect Luis Barragán in the years following the Second World War. Built in 1947, the 1162 square meter three-story concrete house and garden reflect Barragán's design style during this period...
is located on General Francisco Ramirez street. Barragán was a major figure in Mexican culture, whose works have served to influence architects to the present day. His designs feature vibrant colors, fluid sequences of space and subdued lighting, and are based on traditional Mexican designs. His work earned him the 1980 Pritzker Prize
Pritzker Prize
The Pritzker Architecture Prize is awarded annually by the Hyatt Foundation to honour "a living architect whose built work demonstrates a combination of those qualities of talent, vision and commitment, which has produced consistent and significant contributions to humanity and the built...
, the most important in the field of architecture. His best-known works include The chapel of the Convent de las Capuchinas, his residence in Tacubaya and Torres de Satélite
Torres de Satélite
The Torres de Satélite are located in Ciudad Satélite, in the northern part of Naucalpan, Mexico. One of the country's first urban sculptures of great dimensions, had its planning started in 1957 with the ideas of renowned Mexican architect Luis Barragán, painter Jesús Reyes Ferreira and...
. The house was opened to the public in 1994 and remains as Barragan left it when he died in 1988. It is one of the modern architectural works that was recognized as a World Heritage Site
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
in 2004. Visits are by appointment only and cost 100 pesos. He built the house to be simple on the outside and blend in with the rest of the neighborhood. Inside is where the creativity is located, with the arrangement of space, lighting and the integration of nature with the interior. The house in Tacubaya stands out in part due to its use of wood and stone, roofs held up with large beams and with tones of white, rose and yellow dominating. The windows focus on the interior garden.
The Casa Amarilla (Yellow House) on Avenide Parque Lira is now used as offices for the borough. Some indicate that the house was built in 1618 with the intention of making is a monastery and a rest home for Franciscan
Franciscan
Most Franciscans are members of Roman Catholic religious orders founded by Saint Francis of Assisi. Besides Roman Catholic communities, there are also Old Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, ecumenical and Non-denominational Franciscan communities....
priests. Some state that the name comes from the Marquis de la Amarillas, Agustin de Ahumada y Villalon who supposedly lived here at one time. Others state simply that it is due to the house traditionally being painted yellow. During the Reform Laws
Reform War
The Reform War in Mexico is one of the episodes of the long struggle between Liberal and Conservative forces that dominated the country’s history in the 19th century. The Liberals wanted a federalist government, limiting traditional Catholic Church and military influence in the country...
, the property was secularized and became government property. It was later owned by a number of wealthy families, before passing back into the hands of the government, which made it a juvenile detention facility. In 1979, the house was restored to its original architectural design to house offices of the Borough of Miguel Hidalgo. Next to the Casa Amarilla was built a chapel dedicated to the Virgin of Guadalupe. It was closed in 1926 and then converted first into storage and then into an orphanage. In the early 1990s, it was converted into a public library called the Carlos Chávez General Library with a collection of over 28,000 volumes.
The Casa de la Bola Museum is located on Parque Lira. This house is situated on what was the Villa de San Juan Tacubaya owned by Dr. Francisco Bazán Albornoz in 1916, who was an Inquisitor. Later the house had various owners including Archbishop Mateo Saga de Buquiero, Sebastián Guzmán y Córdova and Antonio de Osorio. According to oral tradition, this house also hosted Güera Rodríguez, Marquesa Calderón de la Barca and José Zorrilla as guests. Today the museum is administrated by the Antonio Haghenbeck Cultural Foundation, named after the last private owner of the house.
Los Pinos
Los Pinos
Los Pinos is the official residence and office of the President of Mexico. Located in the Bosque de Chapultepec in central Mexico City, it became the presidential seat in 1934, when Gen...
is located on Parque Lira and Calzada Molino del Rey. This is the official residence of the president of Mexico. Originally, it was the Hormiga Ranch, which was established at the end of the 17th century by the De la Torre family.
National Meteorological Observatory
National Astronomical Observatory (Mexico)
Mexico's National Astronomical Observatory was first established on the balcony of Chapultepec Castle in Mexico City in 1878. It was later moved to Tacubaya, then on the outskirts of the city, a location remembered in the Observatorio station of the Mexico City Metro, situated nearby...
is located on Avenida Observatorio. The building was offices of the archbishop and viceroy Antonio de Visarón y Eguiarreta built on lands he owned here. This house and land has seen visitors such as kings and presidents as well as invading armies. In the 20th century, the building was converted into the Museum of Astronomy, Geography and Meteorology. Today, it houses installations of the national weather service.
The Cartography Museum is located on Avenida Observatorio in what used to be the monastery of San Diego. It was built and occupied by the Dieguino sect of the Franciscans, with funds donated by Mateo Mauleón. In 1847, this monastery was occupied by American troops under General Winfield Scott
Winfield Scott
Winfield Scott was a United States Army general, and unsuccessful presidential candidate of the Whig Party in 1852....
. One year later, liberal forces invaded and sacked the hospital. During the Cristero War, the monastery closed its doors due to the violence. The building was not reopened until the founding of the museum.
The Ermita Building is considered an important example of Art Deco architecture and was the first high rise to be constructed in the Mexico City area. Its main facade is truncated on one corner and is topped by a series of horizontal plaques. The side facades also have plaques on the face, balconies and pilasters decorated in metal which define the movie theater area. Access to the commercial area is formed by an Art Deco arch. The building was criticized as a “concrete ax” in the 1920s after it was built. The construction of this building was partially aimed at the revitalization of the area in the 1930s. This building was to serve as a catalyst for change and for modernization. The building is eight floors high. However, this height caused opposition and an adjoining building, the Isabel Conjunto, was scaled back to four floors. Both were innovative at the time because they mixed different uses in the same building, commercial centers on the ground floor and residences on the upper floors. The building is commonly called “Canada” due to the large lighted “Canada” (a chain of stores in Mexico) which has been here since the 1950s. The building is in disrepair, in part from the addition of advertising signs, such as those for Coca Cola, Camel and Sol, without adapting the building to their weight. These signs also hide the building’s characteristics. The building has had no major restoration work done on it since it was inaugurated in 1931 and few consider it worth saving despite its historic importance.
Hospital Pediatrico Tacubaya (Tacubaya Pediatric Hospital) specializes in the treatment of burn victims, treating about 680 children with severe burns each year. The cost of caring for these patients is between 25,00 to 30,000 pesos per day, with the average patients hospitalized for two weeks.
The lost city
Located only ten minutes away from the Mexican president’s residence of Los Pinos, La Ciudad Perdida (The Lost City) of Tacubaya are small shacks made of cardboard, wood and other found items that line the narrow streets in a part of the neighborhood, on Becerra, Mártires de Tacubaya, Heroes de la Intervencion and 11 de Abril streets, surrounding a complete block. The neighborhood was always poor, first inhabited about 100 years ago when small houses of adobeAdobe
Adobe is a natural building material made from sand, clay, water, and some kind of fibrous or organic material , which the builders shape into bricks using frames and dry in the sun. Adobe buildings are similar to cob and mudbrick buildings. Adobe structures are extremely durable, and account for...
with wood roofs were built, forming the narrow streets that are found here. The area is filled with garbage and the smell of urine and stagnant water from drains that no longer work. Drug use entered this area in the 1980s, first with marijuana, then with cocaine. Eventually, the area became a drug distribution center. Neighbors say that most of the people in the lost city are transvestites, drug addicts, thieves as well as entire families, of which there are an estimated hundred. Residence of both the shacks and the permanent buildings say that they have been promised solutions to their problems, but nothing is done.
Cristalazos
The Lost City started making news regularly in the mid 2000s. Near this area runs the ring road, Anillo PeriféricoAnillo Periférico
The Anillo Periférico is the name given to the outer beltway of Mexico City. The beltway gained major media attention when the Mexico City mayor, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, started a project to turn a southern section of the ring into a two-story highway...
, which is a major artery for commuters. The slow traffic during rush hours (6–10 am and 6–9 pm) began to attract thieves. These thieves specialize in “cristalazos” (“cristal”=glass – “azo”= hit), in which the perpetrator approaches a stalled car, smashes in a side window and takes possessions and/or demands money. The main danger area is on the Periferico between Calle 4 and Avenida Jalisco during rush hour as well as on 11 de Abril and Héroes de Padierna streets. Authorities have identified four gangs which are dedicated to assaulting automobiles in the Tacubaya and Observatorio neighborhoods. Since 2007, 24 hour a day police patrols are stationed on the identified roads up to the Lost City.