DK Travel : Mexico City : Palacio de Bellas Artes

Palacio de Bellas Artes

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A true masterpiece of architectural design, the lovely Palacio de Bellas Artes is one of Mexico City’s most beloved buildings and is home to an excellent performing arts center. It was designed by an Italian architect Adamo Boari. Its broad plaza and formal flower gardens blend into the natural beauty of the adjacent Alameda Central.

Sculpture, central lunette, Palacio de Bellas Artes
Admission is free on Sundays; the theater is open to the public (1–1:30pm Mon–Fri and during events).There is an extra charge to visit the Museo Nacional de Arquitectura, of most interest to serious architecture fans. Dine surrounded by resplendent Art Deco at the Café del Palacio in the lobby. Construction of the Palacio de Bellas Artes began in 1904, was interrupted by the Mexican Revolution, and completed in 1934

Top 10 Features

1. Statues of Pegasus

1. Statues of Pegasus

Four sculptures of the winged horse, Pegasus, in a variety of aspects, by Agustín Querol, stand in the esplanade in front of the entrance to the performing arts center .
2. Façade Sculptures

The exterior façade has intricate and ornate sculptures in the arch above the main doorway. In the center Leonardo Bistolfi’s (1859–1933), Birth of Venus, represents harmony. The statues on either side, by Boni, symbolize love and hate.
3. Eagle

3. Eagle

On the dome is Geza Marotti’s sculpture of the Mexican national symbol, an eagle. It is perched on a cactus, eating a snake. Figures under the eagle represent comedy, tragedy, drama, and lyrical drama.
4. Lobby and Vestibule

4. Lobby and Vestibule

A classic Art Deco black marble stairway, leads into the vestibule. Across the black-and-white marble floor are the metallic theater doors.
5. Courtyard

5. Courtyard

The four-story courtyard is light, airy, and dramatic with red marble columns and a high, four-domed ceiling.
6. Murals

Famous muralists Rufino Tamayo, Diego Rivera, Davíd Alfaro Siqueiros, and José Clemente Orozco painted their huge murals on the walls of the second and third floors of the building facing the courtyard. The contrast between the traditional Art Deco interior and the political murals painted with unusually bright colors heightens the dramatic tone in the space.
7. Theater

The theater has a magnificent stage curtain made by Tiffany & Co. of New York. The depiction of the Valley of Mexico on the curtain is formed with a million pieces of opalescent glass. The stunning crystal ceiling depicts Apollo and the nine muses on Mount Olympus.
8. Art Exhibitions

8. Art Exhibitions

The second and third floors have several rooms and galleries that host international travelling art exhibitions. An exceptional recent exhibition featured four centuries of European masterpieces in oil.
9. Museo Nacional de Arquitectura

This museum occupies the fourth floor of the palacio. Changing exhibits feature various aspects of Mexico City, and occasionally, international architecture.
10. Ballet Folklórico de Mexico

Folk dances from many regions of Mexico are presented on Wednesday and Sunday evenings by the excellent Ballet Folklórico. Colorful costumes, lively music, choreography, and stage sets offer fine entertainment.

Practical Information

Admission is free on Sundays; the theater is open to the public (1–1:30pm Mon–Fri and during events).There is an extra charge to visit the Museo Nacional de Arquitectura, of most interest to serious architecture fans. Dine surrounded by resplendent Art Deco at the Café del Palacio in the lobby. Eje Central Lázaro Cárdenas and Av Juárez 5512-2593 10am–6pm Tue–Sun 35 pesos, free Sun www.bellasartes.gob.mx