Palacio del Marqués del Apartado facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Palace of the Marqués del Apartado
Rep. de Argentina façade of the building
General information
Architectural style	Neoclassical
Location	Mexico City, Mexico
Construction started	1795
Completed	1805
Design and construction
Architect	Manuel Tolsá

The Palace of the Marquis del Apartado is a very old and important building in Mexico City. It is located near the city's main square, the Zocalo. This beautiful palace was built a long time ago, between 1795 and 1805.

What's really cool is that it was built right on top of an ancient Aztec pyramid! This pyramid was part of the sacred area of Tenochtitlan, the Aztec capital. The palace was first made for the person in charge of making coins for the Spanish government in Mexico. A special floor was even made ready for King Ferdinand VII of Spain. But the king never actually came to live there. Today, the palace is the main office for the Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia (INAH). This is a group that protects Mexico's history and culture.

History of the Palace

Ancient Aztec Roots

Long ago, during the time of the Aztec Empire, the land where the palace stands was very important. It was part of the teocalli, which was the sacred area of Tenochtitlan. The palace was built over the remains of a pyramid. This pyramid was dedicated to the goddess Cihuacóatl, who was the sister of the god Huitzilopochtli.

In 1910, the base of this ancient pyramid was found. Later, in 1985, an amazing discovery was made. A huge stone sculpture of an eagle, weighing 1.5 tons, was found from the Aztec period.

Building the Palace

After the Spanish conquered the Aztecs, this land was given to the Acevedo family. Over time, the land was divided and sold. The spot where the palace is now was bought by Francisco de Fagoaga y Arósqueta. He was in charge of making coins and collecting valuable metals for the Spanish king.

Fagoaga hired a famous architect named Manuel Tolsá. Tolsá designed many buildings in Mexico City. He built this palace between 1795 and 1805. Tolsá designed it to look similar to another building he created, the Palacio de Minería. The palace even had workshops for melting metals and a small chapel.

A King Who Never Came

In the early 1800s, the top floor of the palace was changed. It was prepared to be the home for King Ferdinand VII of Spain. However, the king never lived there. He gave up his throne in 1808 and became a prisoner of Napoleon.

New Owners and Changes

After Mexican Independence in the early 1800s, different rich families owned the palace. They used it as their main home. They often rented out the lower part of the building to businesses. The families lived on the upper two floors.

The palace has been updated many times over the years. In 1901, the main courtyard and hallways were covered with a roof made of iron and glass. From 1901 to 1908, the palace held a large collection of French art and books. This art later became part of the collection at the Academy of San Carlos.

After the Mexican Revolution, the government took ownership of the palace. It was then used for different government offices. In 1962, it was updated again with new electricity and pipes.

Modern Uses and Repairs

Since the early 1900s, the palace has been home to many government groups. It housed the Department of Justice and Public Education. Later, it held departments for development, trade, and economy.

In 1989, people noticed cracks and damage in the building. This was because it was tilting towards a nearby Metro station. Work began in the 1990s to fix this. Starting in 1995, a special system was put in place. This system pumps water into and out of the ground 40 meters below the building. Mexico City is sinking because too much groundwater is pumped out for drinking. This special system helps keep the ground pressure stable under the palace, stopping it from sinking further.

Since 2005, the palace has been the main office for the Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia (INAH). They have also worked to restore many of the beautiful decorations inside the building.

What the Palace Looks Like

Building Layout

The Palace of the Marquis del Apartado is a very large building. It covers an area of about 3,000 square meters. Inside, it has 60 rooms, including halls, dining rooms, and kitchens. It has two courtyards. The main courtyard has a beautiful fountain. The other courtyard was used as a stable for horses in the 1800s.

This palace is similar to the Palacio de la Minería, another building designed by Manuel Tolsá. Both buildings have two main sides, or facades. The main facade of the Palace of the Marquis del Apartado is on Argentina Street and wraps around to Donceles Street. This main facade is divided into three parts. The middle part, where the main entrance is, sticks out a little. The ground floor has less decoration because the upper floors were more important. The main entrance is special, with a pediment (a triangular shape) above four Doric columns. The other floors have stone columns and pilasters (flat columns) that frame the windows and balconies.

Hidden Aztec Discoveries

Under the stairs that lead to the main patio, you can see ancient Aztec ruins! Archeologists have been working here since 1985. During restoration work, they found a large stone sculpture of an eagle from the Aztec period. It was found in the building's foundation, where the remains of the ancient temple are.

An archeologist named Elsa Hernández Pons from INAH dug up and saved this eagle. It is very special because it is the only one found still in its original place. The eagle is sitting down and is quite big. It is 1.39 meters long, 0.82 meters wide, and 0.72 meters tall. It weighs about 1.5 tons! The eagle is carved very realistically, with details like feathers of different sizes. It was once painted in colors like ochre, orange, and red. Some parts of the sculpture, like the right side of its face, are missing.

See also

In Spanish: Palacio del Marqués del Apartado para niños