Diego Rivera, José Clemente Orozco and David Siqueiros painted murals here in the 1920s. Most of the work on the main patio is by Orozco; look for the portrait of Hernán Cortés and his lover La Malinche underneath the staircase. The amphitheater, off the lobby, holds Rivera’s first mural, La Creación, undertaken on his return from Europe in 1923. Built in the 16th century, the former Jesuit college today hosts outstanding temporary art exhibitions.
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Antiguo Colegio de San Ildefonso
Centro Histórico
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
25.74 MILES
This fabulous archaeological zone lies in a mountain-ringed offshoot of the Valle de México. Site of the huge Pirámides del Sol y de la Luna (Pyramids of…
0.68 MILES
Immense murals by world-famous Mexican artists dominate the top floors of this splendid white-marble palace – a concert hall and arts center commissioned…
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The Torre Latinoamericana was Latin America’s tallest building when constructed in 1956, and remains the dominant focal point of Centro Histórico. It's an…
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Renowned Mexican artist Frida Kahlo was born in, and lived and died in, Casa Azul (Blue House), now a museum. Almost every visitor to Mexico City makes a…
0.07 MILES
Before the Spaniards demolished it, the Aztec 'Great Temple' Teocalli of Tenochtitlán covered the site where the cathedral now stands, as well as the…
25.75 MILES
The world’s third-largest pyramid – surpassed in size only by Egypt’s Cheops (which is also a tomb, unlike the temples here) and the pyramid of…
29.98 MILES
Tepoztlán's main sight is this 10m-high pyramid perched atop a sheer cliff at the end of a very steep paved path that begins at the end of Avenida del…
Nearby Centro Histórico attractions
0.07 MILES
Before the Spaniards demolished it, the Aztec 'Great Temple' Teocalli of Tenochtitlán covered the site where the cathedral now stands, as well as the…
2. Museo Archivo de la Fotografía
0.1 MILES
Occupying a 16th-century colonial-era building, the city's photo museum hosts changing exhibits focusing on all things Mexico City. Additionally, the…
0.11 MILES
Mexico City was built atop a sloshy lake bed and it's sinking fast, as evidenced by this teetering former convent. The 17th-century building now serves as…
4. Museo de la Secretaría de Hacienda y Crédito Público
0.13 MILES
Sure, the name is a tough sell (yay, let's go to the Finance Secretariat Museum!), but it's actually a very interesting place. The museum shows off works…
0.14 MILES
The Centro Cultural de España always has a variety of cutting-edge art exhibitions going on, such as 'Vibraciones' where visitors 'listened' to music…
6. Museo Nacional de las Culturas del Mundo
0.17 MILES
Constructed in 1567 as the colonial mint, this renovated museum exhibits the art, dress and handicrafts of Mexico's and the world’s cultures. Mixed in for…
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Adjoining the east side of the Catedral Metropolitana is the 18th-century Sagrario Metropolitano. Originally built to house the archives and vestments of…
0.17 MILES
This museum showcases the works of artist Cuevas, a leader of the 1950s Ruptura movement, which broke with the politicized art of the post-revolutionary…