Ciudad Universitaria, Mexico City facts for kids

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Ciudad Universitaria

Main Campus of National Autonomous University of Mexico.
Parent institution	UNAM
Location	Ciudad Universitaria , Mexico 19°19′59″N 99°11′07″W / 19.33309°N 99.18526°W / 19.33309; -99.18526
UNESCO World Heritage Site
Official name: Central University City Campus of the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM)
Type:	Cultural
Criteria:	i, ii, iv
Designated:	2007 (31st session)
Reference #:	1250
Region:	Latin America and the Caribbean

Ciudad Universitaria (which means University City) is the main campus of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM). It's located in the southern part of Mexico City, in an area called Coyoacán.

Famous architects Mario Pani and Enrique del Moral designed it. The campus has many cool places. You'll find the Olympic Stadium, about 40 different schools and research centers, a Cultural Center, a nature reserve, the amazing Central Library, and several museums. It was built in the 1950s on a very old lava field called "El Pedregal." Before this, UNAM's buildings were spread out across downtown Mexico City. The campus was finished in 1954. In 2007, UNESCO named it a World Heritage Site.

Even though UNAM has other buildings, "C.U." (as it's often called) is the most famous symbol of the university.

What is it like?
Sculptural Space
Main Buildings
Museums to Visit
Sports and Fun
Culture and Arts
World Heritage Site Status
Getting Around
Safety on Campus
Shops and Food
Images for kids
See also

What is it like?

Walls and paths made from volcanic rock

Ciudad Universitaria is a huge open space. Many families visit on Sundays to explore its gardens and paths. The campus covers about 1,000 hectares (2,470 acres). It was built on a thick layer of lava. This lava came from the Xitle volcano around 100 AD.

Because of the lava landscape, there are not many straight roads. Roads usually curve in circles, with buildings inside them. Some buildings need a short walk to reach. Workers used the volcanic rock they dug up to make paths and outer walls. Most buildings are made of concrete and brick. They often have large windows and gardens, both inside and out. Most buildings are only two or three floors tall.

While most buildings share a similar style, the Rectorate Tower and the Central Library are special. These tall, square buildings stand out. They are decorated with huge murals by famous Mexican artists. David Alfaro Siqueiros painted the Rectorate Tower. Juan O'Gorman created the murals on the Central Library.

The Central Library's mural is known as the largest in the world. It covers all sides of the building. The artwork shows Aztec and Spanish designs, plus UNAM's symbol. This makes the Central Library the most famous building at Ciudad Universitaria.

The Campus Central is the original part of the university. It was built in 1943 and covers 200 hectares (494 acres). Insurgentes Avenue runs right through it.

Sculptural Space

Inside the campus's nature reserve, you'll find the Sculptural Space. It's a large, round area of solidified lava. White triangular shapes surround it, looking a bit like a sunflower. Many large, colorful metal sculptures by modern artists are placed around this area. That's how it got its name!

Main Buildings

The Conquest of Energy mural by José Chávez Morado

The economics building opened in 1953. Vladimir Kaspé and J. Hanhausen designed it.

Eugenio Peschard designed the science building. It features a mural called The Conquest of Energy by José Chávez Morado.

Museums to Visit

UNIVERSUM, the Science Museum: This museum has fun, hands-on exhibits about science for everyone.
University Museum for the Sciences and Arts (MUCA): It shows modern art from Mexican artists. It also displays art owned by the university.
University Museum of Contemporary Art (MUAC): This museum focuses on modern art.
National Biodiversity Pavilion: This pavilion teaches visitors about the amazing variety of life on Earth.

Sports and Fun

University Olympic Stadium

The Mexico '68 Olympic Stadium was built in 1952. It hosted the 1955 Pan-American Games and the 1968 Summer Olympic Games. The stadium is on the Campus Central. Its stands were built using lava rock from the site. These stands have cool designs by Diego Rivera. The stadium was also used for the 1986 FIFA World Cup.

Today, the stadium hosts football (soccer) games for the university league. It is also the home stadium for the university's professional team, the "Pumas." It has a running track too. This track is used for international athletic events.

Another famous part of Ciudad Universitaria is the "Frontones" area. It has a building and ten courts for racquetball and handball.

There are also football fields for student and children's teams to practice. Gyms for martial arts and boxing are near the stadium. These are mostly for students.

Culture and Arts

Ciudad Universitaria is a big part of Mexico City's cultural scene. The campus has many places for cultural activities. You can find music, theater, movies, and art. Most university schools have spaces for exhibits and performances.

The University Cultural Centre (Centro Cultural Universitario) is a special area. It has the main auditoriums, theaters, and cinemas. It also includes one of Mexico's newest modern art museums, the Museo Universitario de Arte Contemporáneo.

The Centre has facilities named after important Mexican figures:

Sala Nezahualcoyotl: Used for orchestra and dance shows.
Teatro Juan Ruiz de Alarcón: A major theater for classic and modern plays.
Foro Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz: A smaller theater, mainly for modern plays.
Centro Universitario de Teatro (CUT): A small theater connected to the theater school.
Sala José Revueltas and Sala Julio Bracho: These cinemas show a mix of Mexican and international films.
Sala Miguel Covarrubias: A small theater for dance performances.
Radio UNAM: This university radio station plays music and offers cultural, news, and fun programs.

World Heritage Site Status

In 2005, Francesco Bandarin, who led the World Heritage Center, visited the campus. He suggested it should become a World Heritage Site. In 2007, UNESCO officially recognized it. Ciudad Universitaria is seen as a clever example of city and building design. It is also known for mixing modern architecture with Mexican traditions and art. Famous artists like David Alfaro Siqueiros, José Chávez Morado, and Francisco Eppens created art there.

Getting Around

The university has its own free bus system called Pumabús. There are eleven main bus routes. Routes 1 to 5 start near the metro exit for Metro Universidad station. Routes 6, 7, and 8 start at parking lot number 1 of the Olympic stadium. The buses run from Monday to Friday, from 6:20 AM to 10:30 PM.

Cars are allowed on campus. Taxis also take groups of passengers along the bus routes. Some routes have shorter and longer versions. There's also a special route for new students to help them register.

You can enter Ciudad Universitaria from three main points. Two are from metro stations: Metro Universidad and Metro Copilco. The third is from Avenida Insurgentes. This important avenue runs north to south, cutting the campus in half. Two Metrobús stations, Ciudad Universitaria and Centro Cultural Universitario, are on this avenue. This avenue helps people reach other parts of the city. It is also near the Olympic Stadium and the Cultural Zone.

Recently, a program called "C.U. Limpia" (Clean C.U.) started. It offers 58 bicycle stations around the campus. Each station has 200 new bicycles. Students can rent them and return them to any other station. These bikes are very popular. They help students and teachers use less polluting ways to travel.

Safety on Campus

Even though Ciudad Universitaria is huge and has no entry gates, it is a very safe place. This is true for both students and visitors. There is a special security group called "Auxilio UNAM" (UNAM Help). They patrol the campus all day, especially on holidays and weekends. They do not carry firearms. They use hummers, motorcycles, and golf carts. Police officers usually do not enter the campus unless the university asks them to. This is because of special rules about university independence. Crimes do happen, but they are rare. They usually happen late at night when most people have left. The campus also has an emergency medical station and a fire station.

Shops and Food

There are cafeterias owned by the university across the campus. Most are run by groups of people working together. The cafeteria at the Faculty of Sciences (called Café Ciencias) is run only by students. These cafeterias are permanent, one-story buildings that look similar. There are also small, permanent shops next to some buildings. These are in places where a big cafeteria would not fit. Some of these shops offer photocopies and office supplies instead of food.

Some semi-permanent shops sell mostly candy and packaged food. They are set up and taken down every day. But they stay in the same spot for years. A few shops sell university souvenirs, especially related to the soccer team. Around the campus, especially between the Central Library and the Faculty of Philosophy and Literature, you can find people selling crafts. They also sell music, movies, and books. Some are used or new, but many are unofficial copies.

Near the metro stations close to the university, there are many food shops. You can also find bookstores, photocopy shops, and photo studios. Near the northern station, Copilco, just outside the campus, there are many printing shops. Students go there to get their theses bound.

Near Metro Universidad station, at the edge of Ciudad Universitaria, is the "Tienda UNAM" or UNAM Store. It is a large supermarket. It sells furniture, clothes, food, drinks, vegetables, electronics, toys, and many other things. The university runs it. It is meant for university employees and their families, but anyone can shop there.