From the minute I arrived in Mexico City I was enchanted by the image of this neo-classical castle sitting on the top of Chapultepec Hill. The rows and rows of windows like eyes looking over the city. The Castillo de Chapultepec or Chapultepec Castle is still one of the most visited landmarks in Mexico City. Its architecture is a stark contrast to the skyline of the modern metropolis. But together, this amalgamation of the past and the present, is exactly what makes Mexico City so exciting to visit.
When I was first looking up information on Chapultepec Castle I almost dropped my phone when I read it was featured in Baz Lurhman‘s 1996 film ‘Romeo + Juliet‘! It was used in the film as the site for Juliet Capulet’s mansion. In fact, much of the introduction of the film was shot in Mexico City. The aerial shot of ‘Verona’ is located just north of here in the Zona Rosa. And the unforgettable shot of the statue of Christ was shot along the Paseo de la Reforma. They simply removed the Ángel de la Independencia monument and digitally replaced it with a statue of Jesus.
Even various hotel and bank exteriors along Paseo de la Reforma were used to stand in for the Capulet and Montague headquarters. As a 90s kid, who grew up on that movie this was the discovery of a lifetime. This only made me more delighted to get to see it in person!
Let me say first off, I LOVED exploring the castle. But a lot of the detailed information was difficult to understand as most of the signage was in Spanish. I’m someone who loves to know everything about history and I don’t just travel places for the aesthetics alone. So I whipped up this post, full of my own research, to help others guide their way through the castle.
The castle is situated at the top of Chapultepec Hill, just past the entrance of Chapultepec Park. When you look at GoogleMaps, it’s hard to make out any of the elevations around the area. That means, if you don’t enter through the official front gates, it’s super easy to get lost.
The best place for an Uber to drop you off point is in front of the Estela de Luz monument. From here, it’s just a short walk towards the castle entrance. There are various signs along the way to help you find your way.
If you’re arriving via the metro, take the subway to Chapultepec Station on Line 1. Exit towards the Monument to the Niños Heroes, where you’ll find the ramp which leads towards the museum.
You need to buy your admission tickets at the booth at the bottom of the hill. Be sure to do this BEFORE you head up the ramp, which leads to the castle. There is nowhere at the top of the hill to buy tickets. The walk is fairly long and steep, and on a hot day, it would be torturous to have to head all the way back down. We saw dozens of people that had this problem and their dejected faces were so sad. So be sure you don’t make this same mistake. The line for the tickets moves very quickly but if you plan on visiting at the absolute peak of the season you should arrive early to beat the crowds.
Hours: 9 am to 5 pm Tuesday to Sunday. Closed on Mondays.
Admission: 85 pesos (US$4) per person. Tickets are free for children under 13 and seniors over 60 years old. Teachers and students with valid credentials and people with disabilities also can get in free.
Be sure to bring some cash as often the machines are often down and tickets are cash only.
After purchasing your ticket, you need to climb the winding hill that encircles the palace. While the pathway is mostly smooth, for anyone with mobility issues, the incline can be tiring. The walk is especially difficult due to the high elevation in Mexico City. It can be slightly harder to catch your breath. Take it slow; there’s no need to rush. In fact, the walk up the hill provides some incredible views across the park and the city. Make sure you drink plenty of water. Even on what might feel like a cooler day, you still can get dehydrated just from the elevation.
If you have a mobility aid or wheelchair, the museum has ramps and accessible spaces. They also offer special tours for children and adults with disabilities. Just email difusion.mnh@inah.gob.mx for more information. They also provide loaner wheelchairs if you feel like you might require one for this visit. You can view their accessibility plan for the palace here. There is access to an elevator at the bottom of the hill for people who require it. So you don’t need to worry about having to go up the long winding pathway. Don’t hesitate to ask any other staff members about additional accessibility inquiries.
NO! One of the biggest surprises to me was that not only was there no food or drinks available inside the castle, but you also weren’t even allowed to bring anything with you either. Not even water! Bugs are apparently a big problem at the castle. So they do everything they can to prevent critters from getting in by banning food and drink inside the castle. I had planned my day around having lunch at the palace, so I was in for a real unfortunate surprise when I arrived to find that there was no cafe. I was starving by the time we left and ran to the nearest street food vendor at the bottom of the hill! Don’t be like us, and be sure to come on a full stomach! Drink the rest of your water before you enter the gates, or they will make you throw it away.
The word ‘Chapultepec‘ comes from the old Nahuatl word which means at grasshopper’s hill. Throughout the castle, you’ll find many different images of grasshoppers paying tribute to the castle’s Aztec name. In the Aztec period, this hilltop was considered sacred. Archeological digs around the area have uncovered ceramics and objects relating to sacred burials. Many of the Aztec rulers were placed to rest here on the hill.
Chapultepec hill was considered scared both due to its life-giving waterways and being a place of protection. It was a defensive location as it looked out over Lake Texcoco. Lake of Texcoco is no longer here as the waters were drained by the Spanish upon their invasion in the 16th century.
Moctezuma II ordered that a palace be built under his name atop the hill. It was the first “royal” summer palace to be built here and a tradition that would continue into post-colonial times. Netzahualcoyotl, one of the monarchs under Moctezuma, oversaw the construction of this palace and also planted the cypress trees. Cypress trees were very sacred to the Aztecs, and the grove he built is still there today.
As you walk up the hill towards the castle, you’ll pass by a large pond carved into the side of the hilltop. This is to commemorate the springs which once appeared all around Chapultapec castle. It was said that Moctezuma fished in these springs. To ensure the plentifulness of the fish, Moctezuma would appease the water god Tlaloc by burying treasure around the waterways. To this day, no treasure has ever been found. However, treasure hunters still love to explore the area in hopes of discovering ancient riches.
In addition to fishing, these springs were also thought to purify any of those who would drink from them. When the Spanish invaded, they demolished all the natural springs and drained the surrounding lakes. Thinking only of expansion and not of the damage they were doing to their natural resources. The sacred water was gone and many people call diarrhea some tourists get from drinking this piped-in water “Moctezuma’s Revenge.”
Chapultepec Castle, as we see it today, was initially built as the summer home for the Viceroys of Mexico. The term “Viceroy” comes from the French word “roi,” meaning king. As such, these men were the Vice-Kings of Mexico. The role came into being after the invasion of the Spanish. Viceroys were sent to rule the lands and control the armies. In 1530 the emperor Carlos Quinto decreed that the forest of Chapultepec was now the property of the City of Mexico. The Viceroys and their court would use the park as their playground for hunting and fishing. But the new court needed a palace to rest their heads.
Construction on the new palace started in 1725 under the watchful eye of Viceroy Bernardo de Gálvez. Before he could see the interiors finished, the castle was abandoned during the Mexican War of Independence in 1810. For years it remained dormant until it was purchased by the Military Academy in 1833. The academy transformed the palace into a military college. During this time, a few notable architectural additions were made. The most noticeable of which is the watchtower, which pops its head up above the rest of the building. Cadets from the college would spend their time here doing shooting exercises and military activities. It’s wonderful to imagine how these cadets would have felt studying in such an important place. Defending the city as the Aztecs before them would have.
On September 13, 1847, the Americans attacked Mexico City. The military students took arms and tried valiantly to protect their college from the onslaught. Many of these young men died trying to defend the academy. Eventually, the castle was taken by the United States army. But this would not be the end of the story for the Mexican military in Chapultepec Castle. In 1847, after growing their numbers, a newly strong Mexican army stormed Chapultepec, winning it back once more.
The most notable resident of the palace was Emperor Ferdinand Maximilian I and his consort Empress Carlota. The two lived here from 1864-1867 and despite their short time here, they made a huge impact. Maximilian was from the Habsburg dynasty and put into power by the French leader Napoleon III. Napoleon III invaded Mexico in December 1861 in his attempt to add Mexico to the French empire.
Maximilian and his wife took possession of Chapultapec castle, but when they arrived, they were shocked at what they found. The villa was in ruins. It wasn’t anything like the European palaces they were used to. They spent their first nights here sleeping on a pool table since all the beds were filled with bugs. Almost all the windows had been broken and smashed during the American war. After a sleepless first night in their new home, they went got to work renovating the building.
The most impressive architectural features of the castle were built under their watchful eye. Maximilian wanted his palace to have pride of place in the city. He was enamoured with the grand boulevards of Europe, like the Champs-Élysées in Paris. He ordered a grand promenade to be built that would connect the castle entrance to the rest of Mexico City. This would become the grand Paseo de la Reforma. Despite not being a native of Mexico, Maximilian adored the city and called it his home. He was quoted as saying, “In moments of difficulty… nothing had so much power to cheer and strengthen him as the wonderful harmony of this view.”
Only a few years into his position in Mexico City, Maximilian and the French army were run out of the country. Mexico was on the verge of becoming an independent state. The newly elected Mexican president gave Maximilian the chance to flee back to his home country. But Maximilian’s mother told him she would rather see him die with dignity in Mexico rather than come home a coward. So Maximilian and the loyal members of his house were executed by a firing squad in Querétaro. Carlota, Maximilian’s wife, was allowed to return to Europe. However, she was devastated by the grief of losing not only her home but also her husband and died shortly thereafter.
In the 19th century, the castle became the main residence of the President of Mexico, Porfirio Díaz. Diaz lived here from 1877 to 1910. He and his wife were responsible for the elegant French decor of the interior of the palace. Diaz was, surprisingly enough for someone responsible for the rejection of the French empire, obsessed with french style. He loved La Belle Époque and the French Neo-Rococo designs. He brought items from all over Europe to furnish this castle in the middle of Mexico City.
Diaz loved France so much that after a failed coup during the 1910 election, he fled to Paris. He was attempting to escape execution and felt he would be most at home there. He died in Paris, only five years later. The last president to live inside the castle was President Lázaro Cárdenas in 1939. Lázaro decided the castle should not only be a treasure to be admired by those in power. He gave the palace back to the city and the people of Mexico City. Transforming it into the museum we see today.
The building itself is divided into two sections; the Museum of Anthropology (located inside the old military academy) and the royal palace residence. This guide focuses on the palace section but we also have a guided tour of the Museum of Anthropology if you’re interested in that.
NOTE: You cannot simply go in and out of the palace area. The entrance is through the carriage hall, and once you are inside, you need to follow the designated pathway. The exit of the castle residence area is heavily guarded. There is no backtracking. I found this out the hard way. If you leave the residence you cannot just go back in through the back gate. You need to walk through the entire complex all over again.
The first room you enter is the Carriage Hall. Carriages were the primary mode of transportation to and from the castle during its heyday in the 18th century. This area of the palace was originally not as beautifully decorated. It was more like a storage garage for the carriages when they were not in use. Take notice of the large arched doorway. It was required to be sized to these proportions in order to get the carriages in and out easily.
Today, the carriage hall is decorated with large paintings of the various famous men from the history of Chapultepec Castle. Walk up to each of them to see who you can recognize from the history we just read through. It’s always nice to put a face to the name. From these portraits, I feel like you can learn a little bit more about their personalities.
While the carriages do have a substantial European flair, there are always uniquely Mexican elements that have been added. On the most elaborate carriage in the centre of the room, you can see the Mexican crest painted on the side. Look for the eagle perched on a nopales cactus with a snake in its mouth. This is the emblem of Mexico City.
Stepping through the doors which lead out of the Carriage Hall, you come into the Introductory Room. The Introductory room was actually once used as the palace’s bowling alley! Originally it was an extension of the room next door; the games room. Once you know this piece of information, the elongated dimensions of the room start to make sense. The walls of the introductory room are covered in art nouveau-style decor. The golden plaster ornamentation is shaped into curvy vegetal forms popular in the 20th century.
Today, the room is used to introduce guests to the people who lived in the palace. And what their lives looked like while they lived inside these walls. Objects in the glass cases along the wall hold jewellery, clothing, medals and coins.
On the wall upon entering, you can see two portraits in circular golden frames. They depict President Benito Juarez and his wife, Margarita Maza. On the opposite wall to these portraits is a glass case holding a fancy, general’s gala jacket inside. It was once worn by Juan Almonte, who served as marshal of the empire in the 1860s. In the case is also a large sword cast in bronze. Atop the hilt of the sword is an eagle, the symbol of the Mexican nation, with its wings spread wide. Always ready for an attack.
Further down the hall, you come to a wide glass case containing several gold and silver laurel wreaths. There were given to President Benito Juarez in recognition of his efforts in creating an independent Mexican state. Several of these wreaths were once laid on his graves at the anniversary of his birth or his death.
Behind the wreaths is a large painting with the image of the coat of arms of Mexico upon it. Surrounding the eagle are a series of allegorical symbols. She is perched atop the rock with the cactus growing from the stone. A dead snake hangs in her beak. The eagle crest is surrounded by laurel wreaths. Wrapped around the wreaths is a golden necklace of the Royal Order of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
Crowning the crest is a headdress with seven feathers. Each one represents one of the seven Nahuatl tribes that formed the Aztec nation that would become Mexico City. They were the Xochimilca, Tlahuica, Acolhua, Tlaxcalteca, Tepaneca, Chalca, and Mexica. On either side of the crown are a pair of golden sceptres and further down a golden set of arrow quivers. The royal coat of arms is surrounded in a ribbon of red, white and green. It displays the motto of the country “religion, independence and union.”
Ferdinand Maximilian I was a smart young man. Despite being flung far afield from his home in Austria, he tried to make Mexico City his own private oasis. Something Maximilian loved was to read and write outdoors. When rebuilding the palace, he had huge terraces added to the palace. This allowed him ample space to sit outside where he could look out upon the valley below. Here, he would read and write to his heart’s content. Mexico, unlike his birthplace of Austria, had far better weather, and he wanted to enjoy every minute of that.
All of the rooms on the first floor each open up onto the terrace. This benefited the residents in two ways. The first was it allowed for natural air conditioning. But it also provided access from any room inside to the incredible views across the city. Today, the doors that open out to the terrace also give visitors a peak inside.
The castle was not just a place for state business. Long days entertaining foreign dignitaries could get pretty dull. It was pretty common to have an elaborate games room built inside these palaces. It would bring some fun back into the lives of these displaced aristocrats. Here they would take part in competitive bowling, cards, chess, badminton and more. The tapestries that adorn the room depict scenes of frivolity. Young noblemen can be seen playing games dressed in the finest fashions of the day.
Beside the games room is the Smoking room. Deep red velvet damask wallpaper and rich lacquered tables make this room feel so luxurious. Smoking rooms were all the rage in Europe, as tobacco began to be imported from the east. The room is decorated with tall urns, of various sizes. Each one of which would have contained the precious dried tobacco leaves. These were all gifts to the Viceroys, from everywhere from China to Japan and even the Netherlands.
After a long state dinner, the women would retire to the living room, and the men would come here to smoke the finest cigars and tobacco. They could talk politics over a fine glass of liquor. And thanks to the open-air terrace, the room wouldn’t always be thick with smoke. Ebony encrusted furniture, presented by the Chinese ambassadors, makes the entire room feel like you were being transported. Like entering a country miles away.
The dining room, I think, is the finest room on the first floor. The very first thing I noticed when we peered through the doors was the incredible fireplace mantle. The wood carving feature two gorgeous half-naked women called caryatid. They are located on either side holding up the scones flanking the fireplace.
A caryatid is a sculpted female figure serving as architectural support. Taking the place of a column or a pillar. In between the two caryatids, carved on the chimney, are a variety of fruits and vegetables. Each one is representative of Mexico’s diverse agriculture and richness of the country. One can only imagine how romantic it was have looked at twilight. Lit only by these fixtures and hundreds of candles along the table.
It was President Díaz, who commissioned the decoration featured in the room. The fine wooden decorations were all made by the artist Pedro Téllez Toled. Cedar, mahogany, metal and marble are all are used in abundance to create a room that feels as grand in appearance. The host wanted their guests to feel like they were entering the finest European palace, as they walked into the Chapultepec dining room.
The room was designed in the French style of Louis XV and Louis XVI. Louis XV’s style featured curvy, art nouveau elements while Louis XVI featured neoclassical and baroque themes. These tended to focus on mythological elements such as the use of the caryatids. The art nouveau elements can be seen in the floral carved into the wooden cabinets and ceiling tiles. These highlight acanthus leaves, grapes, strawberries, artichokes, apples and pears. The backs of the dining room chairs each feature embroidery of animals such as birds, fish, wolves and lambs.
Servants were a key part of daily life in the castle. The servants kept things running and in a household as big as this, even their quarters needed to look majestic. Although the basement was their primary residence and workspace, there were a few areas on the top floors dedicated to the staff. One of which was the butler’s pantry. This room contained a small elevator that would be used to bring food up from the basement to the dining room. Along the wall is a beautiful selection of china and glassware from the royal collection. Each piece is highlighted inside a stunningly carved wooden pantry cabinet.
Carlota Amelia, princess of Belgium, married Emperor Maximilian when she was only 17 years old. But Carlota came from a long family line of kings and queens who knew their place. She understood that to be a sovereign sometimes meant leaving your home country. But not only that, it meant adopting a new country as your homeland. Carlota did exactly this and studied a great deal about Mexican culture before she arrived. She even changed her name from the native Charlotte to Carlota to better fit in in Mexico society.
In her sitting room, which you can still view today, you can see elements of the Mexican Catholic culture. Carlota was a devote Christian, and since Mexico was a fiercely religious country, she felt immediately comforted by these shared beliefs. Throughout her apartments, you can see how she loved to fill her home with religious iconography. The most beautiful of these pieces in this room is the minature bust of mother Mary, dressed in gold-embroidered fabrics. Above her is a large painting of St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City. But to the left of the image of the Vatican is a small painting of the Virgin of Guadalupe. The Virgin of Guadalupe is often referred to as the Mexican Mother Mary. Always identifiable by her blue cloak behind a radiating blast of sunlight.
Carlota’s bathroom is one of the rooms which has remained almost untouched for a century. In the centre of the room is a giant bathtub made from a single-block marble. One can only imagine it would have been pretty difficult to move such a heavy piece of marble. Perhaps this was the reason the room hasn’t changed much? Behind the tub are a series of intricate tiles, painted with peonies and cherry blossoms. These were imported from China along with various other Chinese porcelain, which can be found in the room.
The decoration of the palace during Maximilian’s reign almost bankrupted the country. He was obsessed with importing expensive furnishings from Europe along with tapestries, carpets, dishes, tiles and more! Looking inside Carlota’s bedroom, one can see the opulence of their taste. Everything in the room feels like it was made custom just for this space. They even have monogrammed lettering on the iron bed frame. The turquoise blue theme of the room spills into every piece of furniture and all the textiles. It feels like an ocean wave, swallowing you up.
On the bed’s headboard, you can see a golden medallion featuring the coat of arms of Mexico. On either side of the crest are two golden lions. Blending the Mexican symbols with the Austrian lions.
Beside Carlota’s bedroom is her tea room, where she should retire after a long day with her ladies in waiting. It might surprise you to learn that Carlota’s most trusted ladies-in-waiting were from important Mexican families. She chose this instead of bringing European ladies with her. This was once more due to her wanting to assimilate with the people she was destined to rule. Maximilian trusted his wife so implicitly that anytime he left the country on business, he didn’t hesitate to hand the reins of government over to her. She cared so deeply for the wellbeing of her new country he knew it was in good hands with her.
The most impressive room on the first floor is the Gobelins Room. Staring back at you from any of the walls are portraits of Maximilian and Carlota. Painted in different periods of their life. Despite having only lived in the palace for a short period, these portraits allow us to feel like they are still a part of the castle today.
Two of the largest pieces of furniture in the room are two great pianos. One French and one English. Both of them belonged to Maximilian and his wife. They were each great fans of music and filled their home these instruments.
Behind a set of doors at the end of the hall is a hidden elevator. This elevator was once used to bring people from the bottom of the hill up into the castle.
After the castle became the primary residence of the president, there needed to be an official meeting room built inside. This was where the President could receive members of his cabinet. The Agreement Hall was designed in the early 20th century. The green velvet tabletops and portraits of past presidents on the walls make the entire room feel very presidential. The portraits feature historical figures such as Presidents Madero, Carranza, Obregon, Calles Gil, Rubio, Rodriguez and Cardenas.
Just beside the Agreements Hall is a small waiting room. Two mahogany carved chairs sit on either side of an enormous clock in the centre. On either side of the clock are two large brass sculptures of the eagle of Mexico City. Before being given an audience with the president, guests would wait in here before being admitted into the agreement hall.
Before heading up to the second floor, take a minute to walk around the small courtyard garden. The hedges and fountain wrap around the front of the palace and the outer balcony terrace looks out over the city. In the centre of the garden is the Grasshopper fountain. The bronze grasshopper statue in the fountain is symbolic of the Aztec name for the hilltop. The sculpture was made by Luis Albarran y Pilego in 1924.
Surrounding the grasshopper fountain are six sculptures of young men dressed in military garb. Each one represents one of the cadets who died defending the castle during the battle against the Americans. The power of their heroism for defending their school lives on through these depictions. Most of their faces were artistic interpretations with the exception of Juan Escutia. We knew what he looked like the artist could work off a photograph to sculpt him exactly. Juan is seen holding the Mexican flag in his arms. Juan’s death was the most powerful images of the battle. When they found his body it was said he wrapped himself in the flag before jumping to his death.
In 1878, the terrace needed to be expanded to accommodate the new National Astronomical, Meteorological and Magnetic Observatory. Therefore a second floor was built to accommodate for these new buildings. Later, when Porfirio Díaz moved in, he remodelled this upper level to create a new set of presidential rooms. But he also wanted to design a regal staircase, that reflected the grandiosity of his chambers.
The Lion’s Staircase was built with bright white Carrara marble to contrast the deep brass of the railings. On either side of the staircase, two large marble lions guard the entrance. The lions were based on the neoclassical lion statues, that guard Pope Clement XIII’s mausoleum in Saint Peter’s Basilica. The sleeping lion on the left represents peace and tranquillity. The one on the right with its eyes open represents the safeguarding of the castle.
In 1915, the staircase was remodelled on the instructions of President Venustiano Carranza. Prior to Carranza, the staircase was open to the elements. He came up with the idea of adding in the stained glass panels to protect the stairwell from cold, the rain and even just from the bugs!
They employed famed artists Jorge Enciso, Alberto Garduno and Saturnino Hernán to design these stained glass windows. Their floral and vegetal patterns that frame the windows were inspired by the Mexican landscape. Various windows feature these medallions with the images of the Mexican coat of arms and as well as the grasshopper, the symbol of Chapultapec.
In 1839, Ángel and Inglis Calderón de la Barca moved to Mexico City from their home in Spain. Ángel was sent to Mexico as the new Spanish minister. Upon their arrival, Inglis went by the name the Marquise Calderon de la Barca. Inglis would go on to become one of the most famous female literary figures of the 19th-century. During her time in Mexico, she wrote accounts of her travels and assembled them into a book titled Life in Mexico.
When she arrived at the Chapultepec Castle, the building was empty and rotting. But the terrace was her sanctuary. It overlooked the Valley of Mexico. From there she could appreciate the beauty of the city with its aqueducts, green forests, churches and turquoise sky. On clear days, she could see the snow-covered volcanos, the Ajusco and the mountains that surround the valley of Mexico.
Throughout the outdoor terrace, along the walls, are a series of painted Bacchantes. The bacchantes, whose names translates into the “raving ones” are female followers of Dionysus. They are most often portrayed as in a state of ecstatic frenzy through a combination of dancing and intoxication. The bacchantes are depicted wearing ivy-wreaths around their heads and often handle or wear snakes. They represent being the life of the party! And they seduce all those who look upon them to take part in the festivities. There are five murals in total, with a sixth in a museum, painted by Santiago Rebull in 1902.
During Díaz’s presidency, his entire family lived outside the city but would come to stay inside Chapultepec Castle during the summer months. Keeping the tradition that dates back to pre-hispanic times of using it as a summer palace. Here they would hold fancy dinner parties and receptions. Diaz and his wife had their bedroom on the second floor of the palace. Their bedrooms were significantly less opulent than the ones on the first floor designed by Maximilian. Signifying the difference between a royal ruler and an elected representative.
Carmen Romero Rubio was the daughter of a prominent military leader with ties to important political circles. She was educated, elegant, discreet and pious. Much like other influential wives, Carmen was instrumental in winning over the Mexican people and some sectors that were usually reluctant to the government. Although she always took care to stay away from the political affairs of the president, she doubtlessly helped improve Diaz’s public image. Her bedroom furniture was imported from France like her husband’s. It reflected her austerity and elegance as well as her taste for European fashions.
Both Diaz and Rubio were avid scholars. They each loved reading and writing and had a treasure trove of books. The couple read everything from history to philosophy to books on the legal system in their library. They would frequently come here to their shared offices to read in peace, away from the rest of the world. Porfirio Díaz and Carmen Romero Rubio remained married until their deaths in exile in France in 1915.
During Maximilian’s time in the palace, he wanted to build a roofed-in corridor on the second floor. This was meant to replicate the open terrace on the first floor. But as the years went by, they found that the high winds from the terrace made the rooms on the second floor very chilly at night. When Diaz took occupancy of the castle, he went about enclosing the space. But Diaz didn’t simply want to board it up. Instead, inspired by the stained glass windows inside European palaces and churches, he commissioned his own stained glass gallery.
This hallway does feel more like a sacred space than just a homely hallway. The richness of the colours of glass hasn’t changed an ounce over the years. The windows depict a series of Greco-Roman goddesses. We have Pomona, the goddess of fruit trees, gardens, and orchards. Next, we have Flora, the goddess of flowers and of spring. There is Hebe, the goddess of youth. Diana can be seen, the goddess of hunting and forests. And finally, we have Ceres, the agriculture goddess.
Each one of these women stands beneath a richly ornate arch. Supported on either side by two wonderfully carved columns with motifs in the shapes of plants, flowers and fruit. See if you can spot a few human faces amongst the carvings as well! Above each of the women is a medallion depicting the crest of Mexico City.
At the end of the Stained Glass Gallery, you can see the entrance to the interior staircase. The staircase is not accessible to the public. But it would lead from the second floor down to the antechamber below just off the dining room. It’s a beautiful peek into the most private parts of the castle.
Opposite the Stained Glass Gallery, is one of the most elaborate rooms on the second floor, the Hall of Ambassadors. When Diaz presided over the country, Mexico saw a huge period of popularity amongst foreign nations. Diplomats from other countries all came to the castle to be entertained by the president. And the main area where they would be hosted was in the Hall of Ambassadors. Designer Epitacio Calvo brought elements of the baroque and the French neo-classical style into the furniture and the decorations.
In 1878 the first National Astronomical Observatory was built inside Chapultapec Castle. In fact, the large tower in the centre of the interior terrace was built just to house the telescope within. They dubbed this tower, the High Knight. When the castle was converted to a military college, the telescope was moved to the town of Tacubaya.
After moving the telescope out, the military converted the old observatory into a guard tower by adding in some guard posts surrounding the exterior. Today, since the castle is no longer used by the military, the guard posts are filled with beautiful bronze sculptures.
At the very top of the tower is where you’ll find the Mexican flag, flying proudly against a bright blue sky (on most days at least). Even on the ground, far far below the top of Chapultepec Hill, this flag can be seen on clear days. A wonderful icon of the city.
We were lucky enough to be there on the day when a local group of musicians were performing their end-of-semester concert. There are often concerts heard here in the outdoor courtyard. There is nothing better than the sound of acoustic music filling the halls. The perfect way to end a spectacular day.
If you still have any energy left, consider walking through the Museum of Anthropology. It is located inside the old military college just next door to the Castle interiors. If you’re pressed for time, the palace is more than enough to fill your eyes with splendours. But if time allows, the Museum of Anthropology is much more interesting than perhaps it sounds. And is included in the same admission ticket. It’s filled with works incredible murals painted by preeminent Mexican artists. The collection also features objects and images that narrate the history of Mexico from the time of the Conquest to the 20th century. Well worth the effort to explore it if you have the time.
Hopefully, you enjoyed this tour of Chapultepec Castle, a historical gem of Mexico City. Let me know in the comments what your favourite part of the palace was!
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