[7], The National Auditorium is one of Mexico City's principal arenas. Centered on a rock formation called Chapultepec Hill, one of the park's main functions is an ecological space in Greater Mexico City. Its area is really large accounted for being close to 17 hundred acres and the park has a nickname Mexico City Lungs. [3] Hernán Cortés appropriated Chapultepec and granted the northern portion to Captain Juan Jaramillo, who would become the husband of La Malinche. There are, of course, plenty of gardens and green spaces with an interesting variety of flora and fauna to see. Mexico City: Chapultepec Castle and Anthropology Museum Tour Reviewed by Arthur, 01/20/2020. [4], The second section of the park was created in 1964 by expanding over former farmlands. This page was last edited on 29 November 2020, at 05:29. The last two names were given by cadets of the Heroic Military Academy during the 19th century. He modeled the zoo after the Bioparco di Roma in Rome, Italy. [9][2] Although some recreational activities such as archery and horseback riding are practiced there, the importance of this area is primarily as an ecological preserve for various species of flora and fauna, such as snakes and lizards. [19], This section of the park also contains the geological formation that gave the park/forest its name: Chapultepec Hill. The zoo facilities were completely remodeled between 1992 and 1994. [9] Since then, the focus has been on the maintenance of the area. Likewise, you will find loads of trinkets for sale from vendors throughout the park. [9][14][2] In 1992, it was decreed as a Protected Natural Area. According to studies, there has been human presence in the area since at least the pre-Classic period. Since then, at least eight panda cubs have been born at the zoo, making it the first institution outside of China to breed the species. [11] At the entrances to the park, where the vendor restrictions are not in place, some vendors sometimes block the entrances and cover signs so that visitors are forced to pass through their stands. [18][19][20], The park received an estimated 15 million visitors each year, and daily visits exceed 250,000. The most outstanding of the patios and garden is the Alcázar. Culture Trip. During that time the paved avenues and roads were created and plazas, fountains, auditoriums, monuments and artificial lakes were built. Other native mammals returned in 2005, including the Virginia opossum and the cacomistle. Between 1950 and 1960, the zoo expanded and added new species. [20][3] In 1940, the president's residence was moved to the nearby Los Pinos complex, and the castle was converted into the National Museum of History, under the auspices of the federal government, along with the rest of the hill. [19] It contains most of the best known of the park's attractions, such as the Lago Menor (Small Lake), the Nezahuacoyotl Fountain, the Fuente de las Ranas, the Quixote Fountain, the Templanza Fountain, the Altar a la Patria, the Obelisco a los Niños Héroes, the Monumento a las Águilas Caídas (Monument to Fallen Eagles), The Ahuehuete, and the Baths of Moctezuma. Cuernavaca’s Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhuatl Volcanoes May 28, 2019. Every Mexican has a story to tell about Chapultepec; it is a very special place where all of us [have] lived and experienced a moment to remember and share. A number of these, especially Emperor Maximilian I and his wife, embellished and expanded the castle as well as the forest area around it. The residence is made up of white stucco structures; this architecture can be seen from Molino del Rey, a former millhouse and site of a battle of the Mexican–American War in 1847. In 1975, the zoo obtained two pandas from China. The Chapultepec Zoo is considered one of the most visited in the world, receiving over 5.5 million visitors annually, including many student groups from across the country. [12], Maintenance issues have closed parts of the park from time to time. At the same time Lago Menor was created, the Casa del Lago was constructed. [17][23] Today, it has 16,000 animals of 270 species, separated into four sections according to habitat: tropical forest, temperate forest, desert, and grassland. See the Casa del Lago website (in Spanish) for information about events. echelonbaxter. These six are referred to as the "Niños Héroes" and are honored by a monument near where their bodies fell. [1][9][14] It is classed as one of the world's largest and most visited urban parks, along with Bois de Boulogne in Paris, the Imperial Gardens in Tokyo, and Central Park in New York City. The park is very large, stretching over 1,600 acres (4 square km), it is separated into three distinct sections. Bosque de Chapultepec is divided into three sections, with the first section being the oldest and most visited. Here you'll find books, postcards and other gifts which are generally of good quality. [14] Archeological studies have unearthed and identified tombs associated with Teotihuacan, a Toltec altar on the summit of Chapultepec Hill, remains of a colonial era aqueduct, paths associated with Nezahualcoyotl, and an area where Aztec priests ingested peyote as part of religious rites. For the battle, see. Chapultepec park is the most ancient urban park of latin america. The Lago Menor was created in the late 19th century, when the first section (then the entire park) was redesigned. You are not allowed to enter with food, large bags or packages, which you may check at the entrance for a 5 peso fee - take note, though, that the zoo's exit is on the opposite side from the entrance, so if you check bags you will have to make a long detour to return for them. Inside the zoo there is a food court with various fast food options. If you'd rather avoid street food and its possible consequences, the anthropology museum has a good restaurant, or for white tablecloth dining, head to one of the restaurants in the second section of the park, such as the Del Bosque Restaurant or Meridiem. It hosts various cultural activities for visitors and has a small planetarium. [2][3] Moctezuma II built reservoirs to raise exotic fish and to store water. The park is a popular spot to visit throughout the week, but weekends and holidays are the busiest, and you can expect the park to be crowded, particularly on Sundays. Several bus lines along Paseo de la Reforma. In addition, a large number of dead trees were removed and about 800 new ones planted.[when? [22], Throughout the first section, there are different kinds of trees; the most common one is the Montezuma cypress, locally called "ahuehuetes". Sections 2 and 3 are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. During this time, the Castle and the gardens around it were enlarged and embellished a number of times, giving the Castle a floorspace of 10,000 m2 (110,000 sq ft). Remains of a Toltec altar have been found at the top of the hill, a number of burials and its use was reserved only for Aztec emperors and other elite. El Lago de Chapultepec is an artificial lake located in the first section of the park, near the zoo and Chapultepec Castle. [14] In 2005, migratory birds began to make a comeback at the park with the eradication and relocation of introduced species such as geese and ducks, which were aggressive to other species. Chapultepec, more commonly called the "Bosque de Chapultepec" (Chapultepec Forest) in Mexico City, is one of the largest city parks in the Western Hemisphere, measuring in total just over 686 hectares (1,695 acres). It also contains an auditorium for events and a planetarium. Related Posts. Known as Chapultepec Forest, the park is considered to be one of the largest urban parks in the US and in the continent. A number of items belonged to figures such as Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, José María Morelos y Pavón, Agustín de Iturbide, Benito Juárez, Emiliano Zapata, and others. [2] The area has vestiges showing human presence as far back as the Toltecs with a number ruins from the pre-Columbian through to the colonial period. Pro Bosque Chapultepec. Many strands of Mexican history are interwoven with the history of the park, with public figures such as Nezahualcóyotl, … It also exhibits artworks from the 19th and 20th century. On Mondays, the first section is closed for maintenance. It has six marble pillars, one for each of the heroic cadets, and in the center a pedestal with a mother embracing one of the fallen. The Museo de Historia Natural focuses mostly on the origins of life with its permanent exhibits. [1][2] Eventually, the area became a retreat strictly limited to the ruling and religious elite. However, some vendors continue to operate illegally and exchange information on the police's steps with radio communication equipment. This prompted the need for major rehabilitation efforts that began in 2005 and ended in 2010. The first section was closed for eight months in 2005, for work that included dredging lakes, pruning and removing trees, picking up tons of debris, and expelling hundreds of vendors. The Museo Nacional de la Historia (National History Museum) is open Tuesday to Sunday from 9 am to 5 pm. [9] In 2010, there were reports of feral dogs attacking visitors in the third section. For finer souvenirs, check out the gift shops of the anthropology museum and the history museum. [14] The park is home to a large number of Montezuma cypress, locally called "ahuehuete" trees, with some hundreds of years old. The Bosque de Chapultepec has trees, paths, statues, fountains, monuments, small lakes, an amusement park and a host of vendors selling their wares. [7] The zoo was established by Alfonso L. Herrera, a biologist, and opened in 1924. Chapultepec Castle, situated in the lush and sprawling Bosque de Chapultepec in central Mexico City, is emblematic of Mexico’s capital and has a suitably regal and intriguing history to match. [7] Of all of the museums in the park, the most famous is the National Museum of Anthropology, considered one of the most famous archeological museums in the world. Xochicalco Archaeological Site Oct 21, 2018. In the 1420s, ruler Nezahualcoyotl was the first to build a palace in the area. The name Chapultepec comes from Nahuatl, the language spoken by the Aztecs, and means Hill of the Grasshopper ("chapul" - grasshopper, and "tepec" - hill). Some of the most important Mexican species at the facility include a rabbit native to only a few volcanoes in Mexico, the volcano rabbit, the Mexican wolf, ocelot, jaguar and axolotl. Both statues were made of bronze by José María Fernández Urbina. This is a great way to get an overview of the park. [3] The Hill was also the site of the Battle of Chapultepec in 1847, between Mexican and U.S. troops led by General Winfield Scott. Chapultepec P ark is located about three miles (5 km) west of the Mexico City Zocalo. In the second section, there are stops by the Tlaloc fountain (Fuente de Tlaloc) and the children's museum (Museo del Papalote). If you'd like to find things to see and do in the area, you might like to visit Auditorio Nacional and Museo Nacional de Antropologia. Located in the center of Mexico City, Chapultepec Park (Bosque de Chapultepec) is found 3 miles (5 kilometers) from the zócalo, or central plaza, along the border of the popular upscale neighborhoods of Reforma and Polanco. At the time castle functioned as a military school and six young cadets lost their lives in the battle. Taxco Oct 21, 2018. [22], One of the most popular features in the first section is an artificial lake called the Lago Menor (Smaller Lake). Admire exhibits at the Modern Art Museum, Tamayo Museum of Contemporary Art, the Museum of History and the National Museum of Anthropology. Bosque de Chapultepec, also known as Chapultepec Park, is located on a rocky outcrop called Chapultepec Hill in the heart of Mexico City. The castle remained the official residence of Mexican presidents until 1940, when this function was moved to the Los Pinos residence, and the Castle was converted into a museum. Once a royal residence, this castle now houses the Museo Nacional de Historia. Melchor Ocampo Park Dec 15, 2017. [2][20] The museum contains twelve rooms which are open to the public, many of which as they were when the Emperor Maximilian lived there. Remains of a Toltec altar have been found on the hill's summit. Suzanne Barbezat is a freelance writer specializing in Mexican travel, culture, and food.