Palacio de Iturbide

Centro Histórico


Built for colonial nobility, in 1821 this became the residence of General Agustín Iturbide, a Mexican independence hero who was proclaimed emperor here in 1822. (He abdicated less than a year later, after General Santa Anna announced the birth of a republic.) It hosts interesting exhibits drawn from the bank’s vast art collection, enhanced by the building's atrium. You can read up on the history of the building (Spanish only) on the 2nd floor.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Centro Histórico attractions

1. Museo del Calzado El Borceguí

0.04 MILES

At this shoe museum – and the oldest shoemaker in Mexico, operating since 1865 – there are over 2000 pieces of footwear on show, many from famous feet…

2. Templo de San Francisco

0.07 MILES

The Templo de San Francisco is a remnant of the vast Franciscan monastery erected in the early 16th century over the site of Moctezuma’s private zoo. The…

3. Casa de los Azulejos

0.09 MILES

Past the pedestrian corridor Gante stands the amazing Casa de los Azulejos. Dating from 1596, it was built for the Condes (Counts) del Valle de Orizaba…

4. Torre Latinoamericana

0.12 MILES

The Torre Latinoamericana was Latin America’s tallest building when constructed in 1956, and remains the dominant focal point of Centro Histórico. It's an…

5. Avenida Madero

0.13 MILES

This stately pedestrianized shopping avenue west of the Zócalo, linking Bellas Artes and the Zócalo, boasts a veritable catalog of architectural styles…

6. Museo de la Tortura

0.13 MILES

Displaying European torture instruments from the 14th to 19th centuries, including a metal-spiked interrogation chair and the menacing skull splitter,…

7. Museo Interactivo de Economía

0.13 MILES

The former hospital of the Bethlehemites religious order has been the home of this economics museum since 2006. A slew of hands-on exhibits is aimed at…

8. Palacio de Minería

0.14 MILES

The Palacio de Minería was where mining engineers trained in the 19th century. A neoclassical masterpiece, the palace was designed by Tolsá and built…