Mexico City - photos 3

Mexico City: various buildings

Bosque de Chapultepec (Chapultepec Park)
Chapultepec from Nahuatl language means "grasshopper hill". This is one of the biggest, most beautiful and most visited park in the world. There are lots to do around and museum to visit and there is also a zoo. There are artificial lakes too (see left top picture). On this picture, we can distinguish the high buildings from the Polanco district.

Parque Alameda Central
At the end of the 5th De Mayo Avenue, there is the parque Alameda Central. We walked a couple of times in this park during the day or the night and each time, there were some entertainment and lots of people. Close to the Avenida Juarez, the "Hemiciclo a Benito Juarez" is a marble monument (see picture) built in honor of President Benito Juarez, who is considered to have been the benefactor of America.

Centro bursatil (stock exchange centre) and Avenida "Paseo de la Reforma"
I like this picture of the stock exchange centre with the palm tree in the centre. All along the Avenue "Paseo de la Reforma", there are high tech buildings, posh hotels and ambassies. Half of the way (and it si a very long avenue!), the "Monumento a la Independencia" (Independence column) has became the symbol of Mexico City. Populary known as "El Angel", the monument is a 36m column crowned by the figure if winged victory.The inauguration was made in 1910 to commemorate the Centennial Anniversary of Mexico's Independence and pay homage to its leader whose figures can be seen at the base of the column.

Bellas Artes District
The Palacio de Bellas Artes (fine arts palace) is one the most distinctive buildings of Mexico City. Its construction began in 1904 under the Presidency of Porfirio Diaz and the building was intended to imitate European art, style and customs. It was designed by the Italian Architect Boari, who draw also the "Palacio de Correos" (Post Office building) whose picture can see bottom right. The end of the construction took longer than planned and the building was completed in 1934 with the gardens only completed in 1994! The walls of the Palace are covered with frescoes by Rivera, Orozco...The theatre is used for classical music, opera and dance.