Bosque de Chapultepec, Mexico City

Although the castle has a nice green area at the ground level, I guess the "real" (and nicest) garden of the palace is the one they have on the roof top! It's more or less like an inner yard on the top floor but with bushes and flowers and a fountain. It's pretty well preserved and it gives the whole building a nice atmosphere and harmony.

4 more images

Netzahualcoyotl was the Aztec ruler who dedicted this park which is the largest in Mexico City. In fact Chapultepec Park is one of the biggest city parks in the world today with at least 543 acres.
There is a city zoo here, a castle, and an amusement park. There are also museums here, a lake where you can canoe and alot of open space where you can lay under tress or picnic or just relax and people watch.
We didnt spend too much time here unfortuneatley. The day we did come to relax the park was closed. We did go through the park on the Turibus one day and got a glimpse of all that this place has to offer.

This is one of D.F.'s must-see's. It is the only castle in Mexico, and the only castle in Latin America that was ever ruled by a European royal family. Its high up on a hill and gives a gorgeous view of the city. The outside and interior are both beautifully decorated and it is surrounded by a beautiful park which is nice to stroll through and relax in after your tour of the palace. Definitely worth the visit.

Open 9-5, tuesday - sunday. Take the subway to the "Chapultepec" station, and then find a bus that will take you to the park. It isn't hard to find the right bus, as most of them do go by there. I found it was best to just ask the driver.

4 more images

This castillo is a bit on a hill so you have a great view on the parc.
inside this castle is the Museo Nacional de historia.
it has been the palace of emperor Maximilan.
i made1 picture inside and 1 of the guards said it was not aloud. but outside you can make pictures.
entrance 48 pesos
open tuesday - sunday 9.00 - 17.00 hour
monday closed
free for mexicans on sunday
childern under 13

Chapultepec is a large park where locals go to picnic, to visit its Zoo, to eat at the famous Restaurante del Lago and has been a special place for Mexicans.

Between its attractions it's the Chapultepec Castle, where Maximilian I of Mexico and Empress Carlota of Mexico lived. The castle's interior is as sumptuous as a European palace, and now houses the National History Museum. Don't miss it!!

3 more images

The palace started to acquire look during the Second Mexican Empire, when Mexican Emperor Maximilian I of Mexico and his wife Empress Carlota established their Imperial residence there in 1864.

The Emperor hired several European and Mexican architects, among them Julius Hofmann, Carl Kaiser, Carlos Schaffer, Eleuterio Méndez and Ramón Rodríguez Arangoity, to realize the several projects which followed a neoclassical style of architecture and rendered the palace into a more inhabitable place. Botanist Wilhelm Knechtel was in charge of creating the aereal garden located on the roof of the building. Additionally, the Emperor brought from Europe several pieces of furniture, art and many other fine household items that are still exhibited to this day.

At the time the palace was still located at the outskirts of Mexico City. Maximilian ordered the construction of a straight boulevard connecting the Imperial residence with the city centre, and naming it Paseo de la Emperatriz ("Empress' Promenade"). Following the restoration of the Republic in 1867 by President Benito Juárez and the end of the Reform War (Guerra de Reforma) the boulevard was renamed as Paseo de la Reforma.

4 more images

El castillo de chapultepec (Chapultepec Castle) is also famous for the history/ leyend of Los Niños Héroes (the "Boy Heroes" or "Heroic Cadets") were six teenage military cadets died defending Mexico at Mexico City's Chapultepec Castle (serving as the Mexican army's military academy) from invading U.S. forces in the 13 September 1847 Battle of Chapultepec.

Their commanders, had ordered them to fall back from Chapultepec but the cadets did not; instead, they resisted the invaders until they were killed, with popular legend maintaining that the last survivor leapt from Chapultepec Castle wrapped in the Mexican flag to prevent it from being taken by the enemy.The cadets are honored by an imposing monument at the entrance to Chapultepec Park.

The Niños Héroes were:Juan de la Barrera, Juan Escutia, Francisco Márquez, Agustín Melgar, Fernando Montes de Oca, Vicente Suárez.

4 more images

The Castillo de Chapultepec ("Castle of Chapultepec") is a castle built on top of Chapultepec Hill (Chapultepec came from the Náhuatl and means "grasshopper hill").

The castle is located in the middle of Chapultepec Park in Mexico City at a height of 2,325 meters above sea level. The building has been used for several purposes during its history, including Military Academy, Imperial and Presidential residence, observatory and museum. It currently houses the Mexican National Museum of History since 1864. It is the only castle in North America that was occupied by European sovereigns.

the construction was ordered by Viceroy Bernardo de Gálvez in 1785. Francisco Bambitelli, Lieutenant Colonel of the Spanish Army and engineer drew up the blueprint and began the construction on August 16 of the same year following a baroque style.

During the Mexican War of Independence (1810 – 1821) the building was abandoned for many years, until 1833. On that year the building was decreed to become the location of the Colegio Militar (Military Academy)

The palace started to acquire its modern look during the Second Mexican Empire, when Mexican Emperor Maximilian I of Mexico and his wife Empress Carlota established their Imperial residence there in 1864. The Emperor hired several European and Mexican architects. the Emperor brought from Europe several pieces of furniture, art and many other fine household items that are still exhibited to this day.

Since 1882 the building became the presidencial residence,until 1939 when President Lázaro Cárdenas decreed a law that established Chapultepec Castle as the seat of the National Museum of History (Museo Nacional de Historia) with the collections of the former National Museum of Archaeology, History and Ethnography. The museum was opened on September 27, 1944. President Cárdenas moved the official Mexican presidential residence to Los Pinos, and never lived in Chapultepec Castle.

*Look at my other photos of the interior of the Castle*