Old Customs Building, Mexico City facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Old Customs Building |
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Antigua Aduana
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Facade of the building
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| General information | |
| Architectural style | New Spanish Baroque |
| Address | República de Brasil #31, Centro Histórico, Mexico City. C.P. 06029 |
| Construction started | 1729 |
| Completed | 1735 |
| Owner | Secretariat of Public Education |
The Old Customs Building is a historic building in Mexico City. It stands on the east side of Santo Domingo Plaza, just north of the city's main square, the Zocalo. This building once housed the Royal Customs office, which was in charge of collecting taxes on goods brought into New Spain (what Mexico was called when it was a Spanish colony). Today, it is used as offices for the Secretariat of Public Education, a government agency that oversees education.
Contents
A Look Back: The Old Customs Building's Story
Early Days and the Customs Office
The land where the Old Customs Building stands was first given to important people like Captain Don Cristobal de Oñate and the Marquis of Villamayor. They built their homes here soon after the Spanish conquest of Mexico.
As the colony of New Spain grew, trade with places like the Philippines, other Spanish colonies, and Spain became very important. This trade was the main way the Spanish Crown (the government) earned money through taxes. Because of this, the Royal Customs Office was a very important place from the colonial period until the 1800s.
This office also started collecting sales taxes for the colony in 1558. It was first located on 5 de febrero Street. But in 1676, it moved to the houses owned by the Marquis of Villamayor. This family rented their property to the government for 400 pesos a year while they lived in Spain.
Building a New Home for Customs
The property had been badly damaged by a big flood in 1629. This flood made about 75% of the city's buildings impossible to live in for a while. Even with the damage, the site was chosen because it was large and right next to Santo Domingo Plaza. This plaza was a good place for people to wait, especially when ships called galleons arrived from Spain or the Philippines with goods.
In the late 1680s, the government asked King Carlos II for permission to buy the Villamayor property. At that time, it belonged to Francisca Maria Bellvis, who was the Marquesa of Benvides and Villamayor. She held the title for her son, Joseph Vicente Bellvis y Moncada, who lived in Valencia. She agreed to sell the property for 29,186 pesos.
In 1723, it was estimated that rebuilding the house would cost about 40,000 pesos. Pedro Arrieta was put in charge of the project. Construction of the building we see today began in 1729 and was finished in 1731.
The nuns from the La Encarnación convent next door were not happy about this project. They had wanted to buy the land themselves. They were also worried that the larger building would attract thieves and block sunlight from their property.
Changes Over Time
Problems with the new building's structure started soon after it was completed. Today, only the outside walls, the main stairs, and the columns in the patios are original. The rest has been replaced over time during many repairs.
When the Royal Customs Office was located here, traffic around Santo Domingo Plaza increased a lot. The new building was designed with two large entrances on opposite sides. This allowed mule teams to enter and exit, but it didn't completely solve the traffic problem.
The building was made bigger again in 1777. More remodeling work was done in the early 1790s by architect Miguel Constanzó.
After Independence and Modern Use
After the Mexican War of Independence, the Customs building continued to collect taxes. It was reorganized in 1825. In 1887, President Porfirio Diaz held a big party and dance here to celebrate his third term in office. The building was decorated with fancy carpets, tropical plants, sculptures, fountains, and colored lights.
However, soon after this, internal customs fees (taxes on goods moving within the country) were stopped. Later, this building became the Federal District Treasury. This is why the building is now called "Vieja Aduana," which means "Old Customs."
In the early 1900s, the Secretariat of Public Education grew a lot. The old Customs building, along with several nearby houses, became part of this agency. This is how all the buildings on this block were joined together in the 1930s. About ten years later, the famous artist David Alfaro Siqueiros began painting a mural on the main stairwell. The building had another round of restoration and remodeling work by Jorge Medellin in 1991.
What the Building Looks Like Today
The Old Customs Building has a fairly simple design. The front of the building is made of tezontle, which is a dark red, porous volcanic stone. The doorways, windows, and balconies are made of cantera, a white stone.
Inside, there are two large open courtyards with big columns. The main stairwell has a mural by Siqueiros called “Patricios y Patricidas” (Patricians and Patricides). He started this mural in the mid-1940s, but it was never finished.
See also
In Spanish: Edificio de la antigua Aduana de la Ciudad de México para niños
- List of colonial non-religious buildings in Mexico City
