It was a gorgeous Saturday to spend the day in the park along with many families and young lovers.
The park, which is twice the size of NYC’s Central Park and is second largest park in Latin America, was within walking distance of our apartment
We climbed the hill to the Chapultepec castle which was originally constructed in 1725. During the Mexican War of Independence the castle was abandoned, and remained in a state of disrepair.
With the rise of the Second Mexican Empire in 1864 the castle became the official residence of Emperor Maximilian I and his wife Empress Carlota. Maximilian, an Austrian prince of the Hapsburg, was given the name and title “Emperor of Mexico”. He was offered the crown by Mexican monarchists who were puppets of the French in an attempt to add Mexico to their empire. During this period the castle began to take on its current floor plan, with Maximilian hiring multiple architects to re-design the castle in the neo-classical style which was popular at the time.
Unfortunately for Maximilian, his reign and the Second Mexican Empire, lasted only four years when in 1867 the French were defeated and he was shot by firing squad along with several of his most loyal followers. He rejected the opportunity by Juarez to return to Europe but stayed due to his mothers harsh insistence on him staying and dying with dignity rather than return as a “coward” unworthy of the Hapsburg name. With the establishment of the Mexican Republic under Benito Juárez Chapultepec again fell into disuse and disrepair.
Currently the castle is the seat of National Museum of Cultures and is open to the public.
Murals by David Alfaro Siqueiros (1896-1974) depicting the struggles of the working man and woman during Mexico’s history were very powerful.
The botanical garden, within the park, had a lovely orchid house and a large selection of cacti.
