Ask a resident of Mexico about local attractions and he or she is likely to use descriptive terms like “best,” “most important” or “very memorable.”
One might question whether such superlatives are always called for, but in the case of historic sites throughout Mexico’s interior cities—particularly those that are available as meeting and event venues, such grandiosity is perfectly appropriate.
From palaces and museums to former hospitals and even a park, the venues of Mexico have earned the right to brag.
Following are a few standout options for gatherings.
palace of the old school of medicine, Mexico City
www.facmed.unam.mx/palacio/index.html
One of the most important buildings in town is the Palace of the Old School of Medicine, according to Paloma Gomez Pereira, coordinator of events for the Mexico City Office of Congresses and Conventions.
“This venue is a perfect example of the architecture used by the Spaniards. Today, it holds a national museum and its main entrance is located in the iconic Plaza Santo Domingo in the heart of the Historical Center,” she says. “It’s a unique space for events. The atmosphere that their patios and architecture and details create is just perfect for turning a successful event into an unforgettable one.”
The main patio has a capacity for 650 people, while the Gustavo Baz auditorium can accommodate 350 people, and the Paraninfo Room hosts 162 people.
“The neoclassic staircase and innovative architecture, exemplified by the removal of columns to create lighter spaces, makes the Old School of Medicine a special building,” Pereira says. “The great value of the school is that it preserves the Mexican Medicine Museum and creates an atmosphere of intellectual and professional growth.”PageBreak
Government Palace/Casa Chihuahua, Chihuahua
www.chihuahua.gob.mx/turismoweb
Spotlighting the history of Chihuahua from 1530 to the Mexican Revolution in 1910 via murals and including armor, a museum and picturesque event space, the Government Palace and Casa Chihuahua pretty much has it all.
The land for the government palace was bought in 1878 and its first stone was laid in 1882. Beautiful stained-glass windows adorn the landings of the magnificent staircase, added during a reconstruction following a fire in 1941.
The Nation’s Altar was installed in 1956 next to the staircase on the ground floor at the exact spot where Father Miguel Hidalgo (considered the founding father of Mexico) was executed by a firing squad in 1811.
Today, the palace includes the Museum of Hidalgo and a gallery of arms, where a collection of weapons is displayed.
Next door is Casa Chihuahua, home to Hidalgo’s dungeon. There, Hidalgo, the instigator of Mexico’s fight for independence against Spain in 1810, was held for three months before being executed. The dungeon has been kept unchanged, according to Sonia Estrada Morales, chief of the Department of Promotion for Chihuahua.
Both facilities can be used for events, separately or together.
Instituto Cultural Cabanas, Guadalajara
www.institutoculturalcabanas.org
Housed in an old orphanage, the Instituto Cultural Cabanas is a museum dedicated to the arts as well as to the preservation of cultural heritage. The building, said to be one of the most iconic in the state of Jalisco, is home to art exhibits and is decorated with murals by famous Mexican artist Jose Clemente Orozco.
The neoclassical building’s facade is supported by six Doric columns. Inside, there are 23 courtyards of different sizes lined with long corridors, covered and defined by arches and pillars in a Tuscan style. There is a chapel at the back of the building.
“During a work meeting, a gala lunch or a gala dinner event, you will be able to feel the sensation of the warmth in the atmosphere that surrounds a landmark building in Guadalajara like the Hospicio Cabanas, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1997,” says Eduardo Zamarripa, executive director of Guadalajara’s Instituto Cultural Cabanas.PageBreak
Principal Theater, Puebla
www.teatroprincipal.mx
The Principal Theater dates to the mid-18th century and was built on land that was destined for theatrical activities that already existed in several “comedy corrals” of the city. The building was inaugurated in 1760, with a similar design to its namesake in Mexico City.
It was designed to accommodate up to 600 people and still offers theatrical performances of all kinds. Besides the importance of the building and the beautiful interior design, the theater is located next to the Barrio del Artista and the El Parian handicraft market and across the street from the San Francisco Church.
During the Mexican War of Independence, the building served as an artillery warehouse, and later, when it was reopened, as a bullfighting ring. Although it was rebuilt in 1820, it burned down in 1902 and part of the colonial structure was destroyed. In 1920 the theater reopened, taking its current name.
Jose Peon Contreras Theater, Merida
www.merida.gob.mx/historia/lugares_teatropeon.html
Said to have been a poet, novelist, dramatist, essayist, physician and politician, Jose Peon Contreras can add having a theater named for him to his credits. The theater opened in 1908, a year after Contreras’ death, and is considered the oldest and most beautiful theater in Merida.
Inspired by the neoclassicic French style, the theater and its facade are similar to the grand European theaters of the early 1900s. In the center of its dome is a hanging chandelier of a spider with crystal arms. The arch of the stage has Corinthian columns.
The theater also features art galleries, and it can host up to 800 people for meetings and congresses. For dinners and cocktails, up to 400 people can be served on the balcony.
The theater once played host to President Bill Clinton for a meeting with Mexico’s President Ernesto Zedillo.
“The balcony is a beautiful space for events because the theater is in the historical center of Merida and you can see the buildings all around us,” says Justo Castillo Martin, director of the venue. “There’s the Universidad Autonoma de Yucatan right here and then, two blocks away is the main plaza, where there’s the oldest cathedral in the Americas, the Governors Palace and City Hall. It is one of most important theaters in Mexico because we’re producing operas and we host the symphonic orchestra of the Yucatan. It’s a beautiful theater.”
