Houses of the Mayorazgo de Guerrero facts for kids
The Houses of the Mayorazgo de Guerrero are two old, important buildings in Mexico City. You can find them at 16 and 18 Moneda Street. They are right across from the Museum of Cultures in the city's historic center. These buildings look almost like twins. They both have red stone walls made of tezontle and white stone decorations.
A family named Juan Guerrero de Luna started these houses in the 1500s. They stayed in the family for a long time, thanks to a special gift from the Spanish Crown. The buildings you see today were rebuilt in the late 1700s. After Mexico became independent, the family slowly lost ownership. The main house was used for different public things, and the smaller house became apartments and shops.
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History of the Guerrero Houses
These two houses were built in the 1500s by Juan Guerrero de Luna and his wife, Beatriz Gomez Davila. They received the land from the Spanish king, King Felipe II. The land and houses stayed with their family throughout the time Spain ruled Mexico. The first buildings were from the 1500s. However, what we see now is from a big rebuilding project in the late 1700s. This work was done by an architect named Francisco Antonio Guerrero y Torres.
The house on the west side was where the family lived. The house on the east side was for their helpers and for storage. Some parts of the east house were also rented out to people who sold things. Even though the two buildings look alike, the western house has more special details.
Later Years and Famous Residents
By the late 1800s, the eastern house, which was for the helpers, had already been changed into apartments and stores. A famous artist named José Guadalupe Posada lived and worked in this building. He moved there in the late 1800s and stayed until he passed away in 1913. Living here helped him see the everyday lives of regular people. This inspired many of his artworks from that time.
In 1914, the main house became the home of the National Conservatory of Music of Mexico. It stayed there for about 30 years. While the main house was big for a family, it was a bit small for a school. The only place they could put a basketball court was in one of the two inner courtyards. In 1933, a painter named Rufino Tamaño created a large painting there. It was dedicated to music, especially singing, for the Conservatory. Today, the Conservatory is in the Polanco neighborhood.
In the 1980s, the main house was used by a part of the Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia. This group studies old history. The helpers' building still had shops and apartments. Today, the main building belongs to the Secretariat of Public Education. The helpers' building is still used by people living there and by shop owners.
What the Houses Look Like
The main house does not have as many fancy details as some other grand homes, like the Palace of Iturbide. However, it still has many interesting parts. This building has two floors. It also has a low wall, called a parapet, at one corner. The outside walls are made of tezontle, a red, porous stone from volcanoes. The windows, balconies, doors, and baseboards are made of chiluca, a grayish-white stone.
Special Details and Decorations
Many of the carvings on the building, especially on the parapet, honor the Virgin Mary. Her image appears there. The corner pilasters, which are like flat columns, have carvings of lilies and roses. These flowers are often linked to her. On the top floor, there are two square areas. One has a fountain, and the other has a well.
The parapet has a small space with an image of the Virgin. On each side of her are two special columns called estipites. These columns look like upside-down pyramids. They have capitals at the top that look like acanthus leaves. This style was common in religious buildings during the Counter Reformation period. It was meant to show eternity and the glory of the Virgin Mary. The parapet also has a design of an ivory tower and a palm tree. These are framed by detailed Baroque decorations.
Inside, the building has two courtyards. Each courtyard has its own entrance from the street. There is also a doorway that connects the two courtyards. In the main staircase, you can see a large painting, or fresco. It was made by Rufino Tamaño in 1933 and is all about music.
The Houses of the Sun and Moon
The most unique decorations of the house are outside. They give the house another name: "Houses of the Sun and Moon." These are carvings of the sun and the moon. You can find them on the corner where Moneda and Correo Mayor Streets meet. These images also refer to the Virgin Mary. People say she is "as beautiful as the moon and as bright as the sun."
A Famous Legend
These images, along with the names of the family who owned the property, led to a famous legend. The story says there was a viceroy, a ruler in New Spain, who loved to throw big parties. He would invite the most important families. This viceroy gave a very fancy house to Doña Sol de Olmedo, the wife of Don Enrique de Luna. The house was very close to the Viceroy's Palace. It was a gift to show his appreciation for their "platonic" friendship.
Don Enrique de Luna became very jealous about this gift. According to the story, he had the house completely torn down to its foundations. Then, he built a new, even grander house there for his wife. To show her that their names would always be together, he had the carvings of the sun ("sol" means sun) and moon ("luna" means moon) placed on the corner. This action made the viceroy stop being friends with the couple forever.
See also
In Spanish: Casas del Mayorazgo de Guerrero para niños
