Mexico City Day 3 - Morning by Gordon, Templo Mayor, Metropolitan Cathedral, Palacio Nacional

Templo Mayor, Palacio de la Autonomia, Metropolotan Cathedral, Palacio Nacional, Museo Nacional de las Cultras, Palacio de Bellas Artes, Museo Nacional de Antropologia

~ Gordon

     It was Sunday on our day 3 in Mexico City. All the museums open to public for free today. On this super day, we managed to visit a lot of places. It's a perfect day!

walking from hotel towards Templo Mayor

Our 100 year old hotel, Hotel Emporio Reforma, built in 1900

Marathon practice
on Sunday

Marathon practice on Sunday

Marathon practice on Sunday

Marathon practice on Sunday

Alameda Central Park, besides Palacio de Bellas Artes

Palacio de Bellas Artes

City bikes parking on the street

Street of Mexico City

Templo Mayor

The Great Temple

The Great Temple

A serpent in the Great Temple

The Great Temple

The Great Temple adjacent with the Metropolitan Cathedral

The Great Temple

 The Great Temple

North Red Temple

The house of Eagles

The house of Eagles

The North Patio

The North Patio

Tlaloc Shrine

Stage II of

7 enlarge stage of the Great Temple

The Great Temple

Drainage channel
built for cleaning water

Stage III

7 enlarge stage

of the Great Temple

Stage IV

7 enlarge stage

of the Great Temple

A serpent statue at the Great Temple
runs along the side

Museum of Templo Mayor

Goddess of Moon

Picture of

Goddess of Moon in color

replica

The original disc of

Goddess of Moon

color was washed out already
on pourpost

Picture of
God of the Sun in color
replica

Front: God of Moon disc

Back: God of Sun disc

Colorful serpent
head, replica

Serpiente enroscada

1400-1481

A wall of stone carving
of human skull

Eagle Cuauhxicalli

Found in Phase IV, 1469-1481

Monumental battlements

upper part of temple decoration

Objects manufactured in obsidian

Objects manufactured in obsidian

Relief of Tlaltecuhtli

God of Death
kidney hanging down

Eagle Warrior

Tlaloc Merlos

Tlaloc-Tlaltecu

Cipactli

the earth monster

Puffer fish fossil

A manhole

Templo Mayor

     The Templo Mayor was one of the main temples of the Aztecs in their capital city of Tenochtitlan, which is now Mexico City. This was built for 2 gods, the God of War and the God of Rain. There was a museum where all of the artifacts are found. You can walk around there too. There was a big disc with the God of the Sun, and another one with the chopped up, which was the Goddess of the Moon. The construction of the first temple began sometime after 1325, and it was enlarged six more times, which leading to its 7 stages. Sadly the whole temple was turned down by Spanish colonists. Only the base remains. 

Palacio de la Autonomia

Palacio de la Autonomia

The extension foundation

of the Great Temple

The extension foundation

of the Great Temple

     Activities everyday for 400 years, National Autonomous University of Mexico was built over the remains of the Prehispanic culture, witness of historic events that impacted the place. 

Metropolitan Cathedral

Street performer at Metropolitan Cathedral

Aztec lucky leaves

A statue in front of

Metropolitan Cathedral

The oldest chapel of

Metropolitan Cathedral

Interior of

the oldest chapel of

Metropolitan Cathedral

Metropolitan Cathedral main entrance

Bell rang at Metropolitan Cathedral

Metropolitan Cathedral

main entrance

Bell tower
25 bells!

Metropolitan Cathedral

main entrance

Interior of

Metropolitan Cathedral

Interior of

Metropolitan Cathedral

Interior of

Metropolitan Cathedral

Interior of

Metropolitan Cathedral

Interior of

Metropolitan Cathedral

     The Metropolitan Cathedral is the largest church in Mexico City, even the largest cathedral in America. A fire in 1967 destroyed a significant part of the cathedral's interior. The restoration work that followed uncovered a number of important documents and artwork that had previously been hidden. Can you believe that the two bell towers have 25 bells in all? To visit the cathedral is free. By paying 16 peso, you can climb up to the bell towers to have a grand view of the whole Zocalo square. 

National Palace

Government building at Zocalo

Government building at Zocalo

National Palace

National Palace

National Palace

National Palace

Soldiers at

National Palace

Murals of Diego Rivera at National Palace

Mural of Diego Rivera

Murals of Diego Rivera

Mural of Diego Rivera

Mural of

Diego Rivera

Mural of

Diego Rivera

Constitution and its amendments

at National Palace

Conference hall

Conference hall

Constitution 1812

Constitution 1814

Constitution 1824

Constitution 1857

Garden of National Palace

Garden

National Palace

Possible part of Templo Mayor

Possible part of Templo Mayor

Statue of Benito Juarez

at National Palace
Most important president
in Mexico history

At the exit of

National Palace

Benito Juarez

1806-1872

served as Mexico

President for 5 terms

     The National Palace was built it 1563. Moctezuma, the aztec king built it. It acts like the white house in US. It has two towers, north and south and include three main doorways, each of which lead to a different part of the building. The southern door leads to the Patio of Honor and presidential offices (no public access). There were also some murals made by Diego Rivera, the famous Mexican artist. The first Mexican Constitution is here, together with a few amendments. Dim lights, together with thick curtains, well preserved the most important documents in Mexican history. The most important President of Mexico, Benito Jaurez, still has an office here open to the public. He was a lawyer and most famous for being the first indigenous Mexican president. In total, he served five terms from 1858-1872. He is a hero to all Mexican.