![]() “It’s not as antique as some of the other buildings around here, but it’s one of a kind.” The interior of the () (pictured), representing a range of architectural styles from Elizabethan Gothic to Spanish Rococo, is strikingly glamorous. It’s just across the street,” said Juan Sebastián Mendez, an administrative assistant at the theatre. “If you think this place is beautiful, don’t miss the post office. Later, I popped into the () to ask for information about upcoming Ballet Folklórico de México performances – and to admire the elegant Art Deco interior, filled with glowing crystal lamps and soaring white Carrara marble archways. The colonial patio is a beautiful place to have drinks and talk for hours.” (Bridget Gleeson) “It’s a place where locals go – for business lunches or weekend meals with family and friends. “It’s one of Mexico's finest restaurants, known for its old-fashioned style, romantic hacienda architecture, handmade furniture, and excellent food and drinks made with the best ingredients,” she said. ![]() Afterwards, Mena said, visit the () (pictured), dating from the 17th Century and located just across the street. ![]() “If you’re interested in architecture, design or art, visiting the studios is a must,” said Martha Mena, a Mexico City native who now lives and works in Buenos Aires. ![]() These striking Functionalist houses, connected by a footbridge, were designed in 1932 by Rivera’s friend, the Mexican muralist and architect Juan O’Gorman. I caught the metro near the park and made the journey south to the San Ángel neighbourhood, home to one of the city’s most noted landmarks – the (). I discovered later that Unesco named the ritual – the () – to the Intangible Cultural Heritage List in 2009. At the top, each dancer attached himself to a harness moments later, all four were sailing in a circular motion high above the crowd, floating lower and lower, one playing a flute, another a drum, the other two contorting into poses as the ropes slowly lowered them to the ground. It’s an old ceremony that originated in central Mexico when one community was suffering through a long drought and appealed to the gods for relief and rain.” Shielding our eyes from the sun, we looked up to see four men in colourful tribal dress climb the pole one by one. “You should wait around a few minutes and watch,” said Maria Elena Orellana, a street vendor who was selling cups filled with fresh melon, mango and pineapple from a cheerful cherry-red cart. (Bridget Gleeson)Īs I stepped out of the museum and into the sunshine of the Bosque de Chapultepec, a small crowd was gathering around the base of a towering metal pole. “There’s an entire exhibit devoted to the ancient city of Teotihuacán.” Carved figurines, ceremonial bowls and mask collections all provide a rare window into the mysterious civilization that built Teotihuacán before the Aztecs arrived and left no written records. “It has a massive collection of archaeological artefacts representing our pre-Hispanic civilizations,” he said. Sanchez recommended the () (the National Museum of Anthropology, pictured). Today, the park contains several notable museums and a zoo. After Mexico gained independence in 1821, the 18th-century ((Chapultepec Castle), located within the park, housed Mexico’s heads of state. “If you’re interested in pre-Hispanic culture”, said Aldo Sanchez, a local archaeology student who spent the afternoon led me around the ruins of Teotihuacán, “go to ().” The sprawling park, located about 5km southwest of the historic centre, was once a place of refuge for Aztec rulers in the mid-15th Century. Just down the street from the Zócalo (the city’s main square) and the pre-Hispanic () the church is part of a 34-block area recognized as a Unesco World Heritage site. But the magic is in the historic centre.” This Franciscan church, built in the 18th Century, stands on the site of Mexico’s first convent, established in 1524. “Neighbourhoods like Roma and Condesa are more stylish – art galleries, mezcal bars. “The old magic of Mexico City is right here,” said Alberto Casale, a native Chilango selling postcards outside the entrance of the (). But when it comes to appreciating Mexico City’s storied past, there’s no better place to start than the city’s historic centre. Though long associated with the drug-related crime that continues to plague the nation, Mexico City has poured money into urban revitalisation, bringing new life to the capital’s elegant buildings, historic public spaces and local traditions.
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