Quinta Gameros facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Quinta Gameros |
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| General information | |
| Type | Mansion |
| Architectural style | Art Nouveau, Eclectic Belle Époque |
| Location | Chihuahua City, Chihuahua Mexico |
| Address | Paseo Bolívar 401, Historic Center of Chihuahua City (31000) |
| Current tenants | Centro Cultural Universitario Quinta Gameros |
| Construction started | 1907 |
| Completed | 1910 |
| Owner | Universidad Autonoma de Chihuahua |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Julio Corredor Latorre |
The Quinta Gameros (which means "Gameros Country House" in English) is a beautiful old mansion located in Chihuahua City, Chihuahua State, Mexico. This special building is recognized as an important historic national monument. Today, the Quinta Gameros is home to the Centro Cultural Universitario Quinta Gameros, which is a museum showcasing the history and culture of the region.
Contents
History of the Mansion
Building and Early Owners
The Quinta Gameros was built for Manuel Gameros Ronquillo, who was part of a group of wealthy and powerful families in Mexico around the early 1900s. Construction on the mansion began in October 1907. It was finished in November 1910, right when the Mexican Revolution was starting. This was a big fight for change in Mexico.
Because of the revolution, Manuel Gameros and his family had to leave and went to the United States in 1913. After they left, Francisco Villa, a famous leader, became the governor of Chihuahua. He decided to take properties from families who were against the revolution, and the Gameros' mansion was one of them.
In April 1914, the Quinta Gameros was given to Venustiano Carranza to use as his home and office. Carranza was another important leader during the revolution. Later, Carranza left the city after a disagreement with Villa. The Quinta Gameros was then used for different things during the war, like government offices and even a military hospital.
Returning to the Family and New Uses
In 1921, the Mexican government, led by President Álvaro Obregón, started returning many of the properties that had been taken during the revolution. The Gameros family came back and lived in the mansion until 1926. That year, they sold it to the government of Chihuahua State.
The state government then used the building for its State Supreme Court and for the Department of Education offices. Because of this, the mansion became known as the Palacio de Justicia y Educación Pública (Palace of Justice and Public Education).
Becoming a University Cultural Center
On December 8, 1954, the governor, Óscar Soto Maynez, decided to create the University of Chihuahua. He chose the Quinta Gameros to be the main headquarters for the university's administration and for its schools of Engineering, Law, and Music.
Later, on November 22, 1961, a museum called the Museo Regional de Chihuahua was opened in the building by President Adolfo López Mateos. On October 19, 1968, the University of Chihuahua became independent from the state government. This meant the Quinta Gameros became a permanent part of the university's property.
In 1971, a special agreement was made for the Requena Furniture Collection to be shown permanently in the mansion. This collection features beautiful old furniture. In September 1991, the museum's name changed from Museo Regional Quinta Gameros to the Centro Cultural Universitario Quinta Gameros, which it is still called today.
Mansion Design
Architectural Style and Details
The main style of the Quinta Gameros is Art Nouveau, which was a popular art and design style in the early 1900s known for its flowing lines and natural shapes. It's also considered a Belle Époque mansion, which means it was built during a time of great beauty and prosperity. The building also has elements from other styles like Rococo, Beaux-Arts architecture, and Second Empire architecture.
The mansion was designed by a Colombian architect named Julio Corredor Latorre. He used a French style that was very popular among important Mexican thinkers at the time.
Exterior Features
The Quinta Gameros is surrounded by lovely gardens on three sides. At the main entrance, there are four statues of women placed between the columns of the portico (a fancy covered entrance). Two sets of steps lead up to the main entrance, and between them is a small fountain with statues of fishing boys.
The outside of the house, called the façade, has many details of flowers, animals, and human figures. These are mostly made from a type of stone called cantera. The house has several levels: a semibasement (partly underground), a ground floor, a first floor, and a garret (an attic space). The total floor area of the building is about 10,760 square feet.
Interior Features
Inside, the ground floor has a grand double staircase and a beautiful Tiffany stained glass window. The main bedrooms, living room, dining hall, and reception hall are all located on the first floor.
The walls are decorated with oil paintings, and the doorways have detailed floral designs carved into the wood. These were made by European artists who lived in Mexico City. Both the ground and first floors have parquet floors, which are made of wooden pieces arranged in a pattern. The house is also filled with stunning Art Nouveau furniture from the Requena Furniture Collection.
See also
In Spanish: Quinta Gameros para niños
- Museums of Chihuahua
