Palacio de Bellas Artes

The Palacio de Bellas Artes (Palace of Fine Arts) is a prominent cultural center in Mexico City. It hosts performing arts events, literature events and plastic arts galleries and exhibitions (including important permanent Mexican murals). "Bellas Artes" for short, it has been called the "art cathedral of Mexico". The building is located on the western side of the historic center of Mexico City next to the Alameda Central park. Bellas Artes replaced the original National Theater, built in the late 19th century. The latter was demolished as part of urban redesign in Mexico City, and a more opulent building was planned to celebrate the centennial of the Mexican War of Independence in 1910. The initial design and construction was undertaken by Italian architect Adamo Boari in 1904, but complications arising from the soft subsoil and the political problem both before and during the Mexican Revolution, hindered then stopped construction completely by 1913. Construction resumed in 1932 under Mexican architect Federico Mariscal and was completed in 1934. It was then inaugurated on November 29, 1934. The exterior of the building is primarily Art Nouveau and Neoclassical and the interior is primarily Art Deco. The building is best known for its murals by Diego Rivera, Siqueiros and others, as well as the many exhibitions and theatrical performances it hosts, including the Ballet Folklórico de México. The oldest known structure on the site was the Convent of Santa Isabel, whose church was built in 1680. However, significant Mexica finds, such as a sacrificial altar in the shape of a plumed snake have been found here. The convent area suffered frequent drought during the early canal period and development here grew quickly. In spite of this, the convent remained until it was forcibly closed in the 1860s by the Reform Laws. It was replaced by a textile mill and lower-class housing. A section of this housing, on Santa Isabel Alley, was torn down and replaced by the National Theater in the latter 19th century.