30 Sites Every Architect Should Visit in Mexico City

02/08/2017

Photo Courtesy of Sordo Madaleno Arquitectos

Architectural Tours

 30 Sites Every Architect Should Visit in Mexico City

April 20, 2017
Though the idea of a vacation in Mexico usually brings to mind images of margaritas on white-sand beaches, it seems the country is slowly but surely gaining recognition in other aspects as well. Among the most populated urban cities in Latin America and the world – not to mention The New York Times’ number one “Place to Go in 2016” – Mexico City offers a particular cultural diversity evident both in its traditions and in its architecture. Considering it’s the main tourist, educational, cultural, economic and political center of Mexico, it makes sense that it’s the perfect scenario for the social encounters of its multicultural inhabitants and tourists.The sites of architectural interest alone are worth the visit, with prehispanic, classic, modern and contemporary examples ranging from Juan O’Gorman and Luis Barragán to Felix Candela and David Chipperfield. Add to that the fact that its gastronomic scene has garnered much praise and attention in recent years, and you’ve got a perfect combo. Below is a carefully curated list of 30 sites that every architect should know and visit.

(Disclaimer: though roughly half the links direct to our Spanish site, the pictures are worth the click, we promise!)

01. Ciudad Universitaria / Mario Pani + Enrique del Moral – Biblioteca Central / Juan O´Gorman

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© Adlai Pulido

© Adlai Pulido
 

Address: Avenida Universidad 3000

02. Casa Barragán / Luis Barragán

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via © Usuario de Flickr: LrBln Used under CC BY-SA 2.0

via © Usuario de Flickr: LrBln Used under CC BY-SA 2.0
 

Address: General Francisco Ramírez 12-14

03. Casa Gilardi / Luis Barragán

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via © Usuario de Flickr: pov steve. Used under CC BY-SA 2.0

via © Usuario de Flickr: pov steve. Used under CC BY-SA 2.0
 

Address: Calle General Antonio León 82

04. Casa O´Gorman / Juan O´Gorman

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via © Museo Casa Estudio Diego Rivera

via © Museo Casa Estudio Diego Rivera
 

Address: Calle Diego Rivera & Avenida Altavista

05. Museo Casa Estudio Diego Rivera y Frida Kahlo / Juan O´Gorman

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via Usuario de WikiArquitectura Pilar

via Usuario de WikiArquitectura Pilar
 

Address: Calle Diego Rivera & Avenida Altavista

06. Torre Latinoamericana / Augusto H. Álvarez

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Courtesy of Museo de Torre Latinoamericana

Courtesy of Museo de Torre Latinoamericana
 

Address: Eje Central Lázaro Cárdenas 2

07. Museo de Antropología / Pedro Ramirez Vázquez, Rafael Mijares, Jorge Campuzano

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© Dan Gamboa Bohórquez

© Dan Gamboa Bohórquez
 

Address: Avenida Paseo de la Reforma & Calzada Mahatma Gandhi

08. Museo del Templo Mayor / Pedro Ramírez Vázquez y Jorge Ramírez Campuzan

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via © Usuario de Flickr: Jesús Gorriti Used under CC BY-SA 2.0

via © Usuario de Flickr: Jesús Gorriti Used under CC BY-SA 2.0
 

Address: Acceso desde Plaza Seminario, Zócalo

09. Palacio de Bellas Artes / Adamo Boari – Federico Ernesto Mariscal Piña

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via © Wikipedia User: Jptellezgiron Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0

via © Wikipedia User: Jptellezgiron Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
 

Address: Avenida Juárez & Eje Central Lázaro Cárdenas

10. Monumento a la Revolución /  Carlos Obregón Santacilia

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via © Wikipedia User: Haakon K Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.5

via © Wikipedia User: Haakon K Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.5
 

Address: Plaza de la República s/n

11. Plaza de las Tres Culturas

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via © Wikipedia User: Haakon K Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.5

via © Wikipedia User: Haakon K Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.5
 

Address: Eje Central Lázaro Cárdenas & Avenida Ricardo Flores Magón

12. Torre Insignia / Mario Pani

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via © Usuario de Flickr: LANCER. Used under CC BY-SA 2.0

via © Usuario de Flickr: LANCER. Used under CC BY-SA 2.0
 

Address: Avenida Ricardo Flores Magón & Avenida Insurgentes Norte

13. Los Manantiales / Félix Candela

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© Erik Eugenio Martínez Parachini

© Erik Eugenio Martínez Parachini
 

Address: Calle 27, 60, Xochimilco

14. Jose Vasconcelos Library / Alberto Kalach

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Courtesy of Alberto Kalach

Courtesy of Alberto Kalach
 

Address: Eje 1 Norte Mosqueta & Calle Juan Aldama

15. Palmas 555 / Sordo Madaleno Arquitectos

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Courtesy of Sordo Madaleno Arquitectos, fotografía por Guillermo Zamora

Courtesy of Sordo Madaleno Arquitectos, fotografía por Guillermo Zamora
 

Address: Paseo de Las Palmas 555

16. Museo Tamayo / Abraham Zabludovsky & Teodoro Gonzalez

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via © Usuario de Flickr Omar Omar. Used under CC BY-SA 2.0

via © Usuario de Flickr Omar Omar. Used under CC BY-SA 2.0
 

Address: Paseo de la Reforma 51

17. Reforma 27 / Alberto Kalach

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© Yoshihiro Koitani

© Yoshihiro Koitani
 

Address: Paseo de la Reforma 27

18. Museo Jumex / David Chipperfield Architects

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© Simon Menges

© Simon Menges
 

Address: Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra 303

19. Museo Soumaya / FR-EE / Fernando Romero Enterprise

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© Rafael Gamo

© Rafael Gamo
 

Address: Boulevard Cervantes Saavedra esq. Presa Falcón

20. Cineteca Nacional Siglo XXI / Rojkind Arquitectos

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© Rojkind Arquitectos. Photo: Paul Rivera

© Rojkind Arquitectos. Photo: Paul Rivera
 

Address: Avenida México Coyoacán 389

21. Casa Azul – Museo Frida Kahlo

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via © Usuario de Flickr: Rod Waddington Used under CC BY-SA 2.0

via © Usuario de Flickr: Rod Waddington Used under CC BY-SA 2.0
 

Address: Londres 247

22. Elena Garro Cultural Center / Fernanda Canales + arquitectura 911sc

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Address: Calle Fernández Leal 43

23. “Los Clubes” – Cuadra San Cristóbal y Fuente de los Amantes / Luis Barragán

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via © Usuario Flickr: Esparta. Used under CC BY-SA 2.0

via © Usuario Flickr: Esparta. Used under CC BY-SA 2.0
 

Address: Manantial Oriente 20, Atizapán de Zaragoza

24. Torres de Satélite / Mathias Goeritz en colaboración con Luis Barragán

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via © Usuario Flickr: úbilo·haku

via © Usuario Flickr: úbilo·haku
 

Address: Perif. Boulervard Manuel Ávila Camacho & Paseo de la Primavera

25. Catedral Metropolitana de la Ciudad de México

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via © Wikipedia User: Guillermo Calva Márquez Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0

via © Wikipedia User: Guillermo Calva Márquez Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
 

Address: Plaza de la Constitución S/N

26. Basílica de Santa María de Guadalupe / Pedro Ramírez Vázquez

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© Oscar Ruiz

© Oscar Ruiz
 

Address: Calzada de los Misterios & Zumarraga

27. Torre BBVA Bancomer / LEGORRETA + LEGORRETA + Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners

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© Roland Halbe

© Roland Halbe
 

Address: Paseo de la Reforma & Lieja

28. Antiguo Colegio de San Ildefonso

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via © Wikipedia User: Zarateman Licensed under public domain

via © Wikipedia User: Zarateman Licensed under public domain
 

Address: Justo Sierra 16

29. Castillo de Chapultepec

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via © Usuario de Flickr: lion05 Used under CC BY 2.0

via © Usuario de Flickr: lion05 Used under CC BY 2.0
 

Address: Bosque de Chapultepec / Acceso por Paseo de la Reforma

30. Museo de Anahuacalli / Diego Rivera

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via © Usuario de Flickr MexicoCityVibes

via © Usuario de Flickr MexicoCityVibes
 

Address: Museo 150

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