Palacio de Justicia

East of Mexico City


The 16th-century building on the plaza's northwest side is the Palacio de Justicia, the former Capilla Real de Indios, built for the use of indigenous nobles. The handsome mortar bas-reliefs around its doorway include the seal of Castilla y León and a two-headed eagle, symbol of the Habsburg monarchs who ruled Spain in the 16th and 17th centuries. The palacio is not open to the public.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby East of Mexico City attractions

1. Museo de Arte de Tlaxcala

0.02 MILES

This fantastic small contemporary-art museum houses an excellent cache of early Frida Kahlo paintings that were returned to the museum after several years…

2. Parroquia de San José

0.04 MILES

Off the northwest corner of the zócalo is the orange-stucco and blue-tile Parroquia de San José, ringed with fountains. As elsewhere in the centro…

3. Palacio Municipal

0.05 MILES

The 16th-century Palacio Municipal, a former grain storehouse, occupies the north side of the zócalo.

4. Zócalo

0.06 MILES

It’s easy to pass an afternoon reading or just people-watching in Tlaxcala’s shady, spacious zócalo. The 16th-century Palacio Municipal, a former grain…

5. Palacio de Gobierno

0.08 MILES

Inside the Palacio de Gobierno there are color-rich murals of Tlaxcala's history by Desiderio Hernández Xochitiotzin. His style is vividly realistic and…

6. Museo de la Memoria Tlaxcala

0.14 MILES

This modern history museum looks at folklore through a multimedia lens and has well-presented exhibits on indigenous government, agriculture and…

7. Museo de Arte de Tlaxcala

0.21 MILES

A branch of the museum that holds interesting temporary exhibits and a good permanent collection of contemporary Mexican art.

8. Casa de Artesanías

0.22 MILES

The handicrafts at this museum and store are collected from the Tlaxcala and Puebla region and focus on quality. Pieces include clay pottery and hand…