We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Accept Read More. Culture Experiences. Spanish transformation The Spanish Crown ordered the luxurious home to be sold, however, no one was interested in purchasing the property. French intervention Along came France in , to collect on foreign debt. Malachite door bought from a Russian Tsar. Leave a Comment Cancel Reply Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.
See our Privacy Policy for more details. Although it was created for rest home, over time it was adapted to different uses: it was a military school, imperial residence with Maximilian and Carlota , presidential residence and, since , headquarters of the National Museum of History.
Chapultepec Castle is located on top of Chapultepec Hill in the Chapultepec park. The castle has such unparalleled views and terraces that historian James F. It is located in the middle of Chapultepec Park in Mexico City at a height of 2, meters 7, ft above sea level. The site of the hill was a sacred place for Aztecs, and the buildings atop it have served several purposes during its history, including that of Military Academy, Imperial residence, Presidential home, observatory, and presently, the National Museum of History.
It was built at the time of the Viceroyalty as summer house for the viceroy. It was given various uses, from the gunpowder warehouse to the military academy in History The Chapultepec forest has a history that goes back three thousand years.
Pieces of ceramics and burials from the Preclassic period BC — AD are testimonies that tell us about the first settlers on the shores of Lake Texcoco. The Mexicas occupied it on different occasions: during their migration, they stopped for a short time in Chapultepec, until they were expelled by the Chalcas and the Xochimilcas, neighboring towns.
In , after the founding of Mexico-Tenochtitlan, Chapultepec was considered a sacred place and strategic site due to the springs that supplied drinking water to the capital of the empire. During the Viceroyalty, Chapultepec continued to be a site of great importance.
In the emperor Carlos Quinto decreed, by Royal Decree, that the forest of Chapultepec became property of the city of Mexico. For the first viceroys this was a place of rest and relaxation: they used it to walk and to hunt deer, hares and rabbits.
It was so appreciated that Viceroy Luis de Velasco had a pleasure palace built on the side of the hill. In , the forest was used as a place of practice for the cadets of the Military College, who exercised shooting and carried out all kinds of military activities. Two years later, after the war against the United States, the hill was cut down in its entirety to prevent the defeated troops from hiding.
In , a commission was formed in order to make of that beautiful place a real place of recreation, open to all public. If you plan to arrive by car:. Department of Educational Services. Department of Cultural Promotion. Create your collections Sign up to save your favorite works. Sign up with:. Already registered? Thumb up for the Mexican Government to maintain in excellent condition a place like Castillo de Chapultepec.
LewisRuff Oakland, CA contributions. In my view, this is one of the top attractions in Mexico City. Perched atop Grasshopper old Aztec source of the name 'Chapultepec' Hill, it tells the story of three important chapters in Mexican history. The first is the battle fought here on September 13, between 7, U. The castle at that time was a military academy and there were about teenaged cadets among the defenders.
The U. The day before the battle there had been the bloodiest single day fighting of the Mexican-American War at a place called King's Mills Molino del Rey. At one point in that battle, the US troops withdrew to regroup and while there was this lull, some Mexican troops came out of their defensive positions and killed the American wounded lying on the field.
This enraged the Americans and thus they fought with special passion at Chapultepec. Throughout the War, American artillery and gunpowder was far superior and after softening up the castle on the 12th, it took less than two hours for the Stars and Stripes to be raised over the castle tower Caballero Alto. During the later stages of the battle the Mexican commander Nicolas Bravo ordered a retreat. Once free, however, these cadets, aged 13 to 19, decided not to retreat but to fight the "North American invaders" to the death.
They were subsequently immortalized as the "Ninos Heroes" and the monument at the base of the mountain honors their bravery. One of the cadets, Juan Escutia, wrapped himself in the Mexican flag, and leapt to his death so it could not be easily captured by the Americans. On the ceiling of the entryway there is a mural honoring the boys including Juan hurtling at you through space.
There is also a small garden with sculptures showing them in various warlike poses at the castle. Presidents Harry Truman and Bill Clinton both honored these boys' valor by laying memorial wreaths. It was the last major battle of the War. There is a room at the castle with paintings and artifacts recalling the battle. The second chapter and the way in which the castle got its glitzy look was when it became the residence of Emperor Maximilian I and his wife Empress Carlota.
Carlota in Using the same architects that helped design Maximilian's cousin Mad King Ludwig's Neuschwanstein Castle in Germany, Maximilian transformed the castle into a showpiece of the age with European carriages, tapestries, paintings, stained glass windows and furniture.
These can still be seen today. There is an impressive Parisian garden with fountain on the second level. The third chapter in the castle's life was when it was the residence of 8 Mexican presidents and their families until when it became the National History Museum. You can see the more modest quarters of the Presidents behind the garden on the second level. There is a gas-powered shuttle available to your right at the base of the hill. It is less than 20 pesos round trip. There is a water fountain halfway up for walkers.
Visitors 60 and older are free everyday with I. The castle is free for everyone on Sundays but that makes it very, very crowded. Erika Caracas, Venezuela 9, contributions. Very nice and big. Try not to visit on weekends as it's very crowded. Price is a little expensive but if you are a student, os free. Matt Blum Dallas, TX contributions. Nothing to say but stunning. The weather was perfect for a walk it's a bit of a climb to the top, nothing you can't do and I found myself here.
Beautiful artwork and history. The grounds are impeccable. This castle is beautiful but mostly has the presence of the past alive, the furniture and all the details are truly magnificent, The views from the hill are gorgeous. A place to enjoy and fly on time.
On 13th April we continued our trip to Castillo de Chapultepec. My love from Dubai city, Ameera Al Araimi.
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