DK Travel : Mexico City : Architecture

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Antigua Basílica de Guadalupe

This basilica honors the Virgin of Guadalupe, Mexico’s patron saint. In 1531 the Virgin appeared to a native, Juan Diego, requesting a church be built there. Diego convinced the local priest by showing him a cape bearing the image of the Virgin. Antigua Basílica de Guadalupe was built in 1709. The cape is displayed in the new basilica, built in 1976.
Antiguo Colegio de San Ildefonso

This imposing colonial building, with beautiful courtyards, dates from 1588. It has three stories, an impressive Baroque section with spacious patios, and a smaller part, completed in 1931, with a façade inspired by 18th-century architecture (see Antiguo Colegio de San Ildefonso ).
Bolsa Mexicana de Valores (BMV)

To an unfinished structure planned as a hotel, the architect Juan José Díaz added height, giving it an angled appearance. The dramatic wedge-shaped tower and spherical dome of the Mexican Stock Exchange are covered with shimmering black and dark blue mirrored glass. Trading takes place under the dome, while the offices are located in the tower.
Casa de los Azulejos

This 16th-century residence, in Churrigueresque style, was the Blue Palace until, in the 18th century, the exterior was covered with blue tiles. It is now called the House of Tiles.
Catedral Metropolitana

This magnificent cathedral reflects the changing architectural styles during its two centuries of construction. Work began in 1573, and continued until 1813. Among other styles, Baroque, Neo-Classical, and Churrigueresque are most evident (see Catedral Metropolitana ).
Catedral Metropolitana

The largest colonial cathedral in the Americas dominates the Zócalo in the center of Mexico City. The Spanish Baroque façade, with 18 bells in its twin bell towers, only hints at the splendor inside (see Catedral Metropolitana ).
Ex-Convento e Iglesia del Carmen

This Carmelite church from the early 1600s was part of the del Carmen Convent. Three exterior domes decorated with colorful tiles dominate the roofline. Built in Latin Cross form, the interior walls of this narrow church are partially tiled with frescos. The colonial-era main altar is the interior’s highlight (see Ex-Convento e Iglesia del Carmen ).
Iglesia de la Profesa (San Felipe Neri)

The Mudéjar roof above the choir stalls is the only visible remains of the original 1610 Jesuit church. The church was rebuilt in 1720 and is one of the finest examples of Mexican Baroque architecture. The Neo-Classical altarpiece was created by Manuel Tolsá.
Iglesia de San Francisco Javier

This exceptional Mexican Baroque church was constructed in the late 1600s. The limestone façade and single-bell tower are decorated with ornately detailed stone carvings. Inside, the golden main altar is resplendent with fine decorations. Murals by Miguel Cabrera adorn the cross vaults and the chancel (see Tepotzotlán ).
Iglesia y Ex-Convento de San Francisco

One of the best Churrigueresque façades in the city adorns the remnants of the High Convent of Our Holy Father St. Francis of Mexico. Once the largest monastery in the city, it was largely destroyed after the Reform Laws were passed in the late 1850s (see War of Reform ). Today the lovely main church has a Neo-Classical altar, stained-glass windows, and fine wood sculptures by Miguel Ángel Soto.