Alameda Central

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Alameda Central
Mexico City, Mexico
Coordinates19°26′08″N 99°08′38″W / 19.43556°N 99.14389°W / 19.43556; -99.14389

Alameda Central is a public

Metro Bellas Artes
.

Description

The Alameda Central park is a green garden with paved paths and decorative

Luis de Velasco II ordered the creation of a public green space for the city's residents.[3] The name comes from the Spanish word álamo, which means poplar tree, that were planted here.[4] This park was part of the viceroy's plan to develop what was, at that time, the western edge of the city. It has become a symbol of a traditional Mexican park and many other parks in the country take on the name "Alameda" as well.[5]

Public art

Central fountain of Parque Alameda

Fountains and statues in the park include:

History

The original park was less than half the size of the current one, reaching only from where the Palacio de Bellas Artes is now to the location of the Hemiciclo de Juárez. What is now the western section of the park originally was a plain plaza built during the

Mexican Independence was won in 1821, the Alameda was the center of popular celebrations. In 1846, when President Santa Anna rode triumphantly into Mexico City, he ordered the fountains in the park be filled with alcohol.[5]

The five classical fountains are of French design and inspired by Greco-Roman mythology. More statues were added to the park in the 19th century.

Gas lamps were installed in 1868, which were replaced by electrical lighting 1892. By the end of the 19th century, the park had become popular with all social classes in Mexico. Much of the current layout of the park, with its starburst pattern of paths around fountains and the central kiosk dates from the late 19th and early 20th centuries.[5]

By the late 19th century, the park included a bandstand and gas (now electric) lamps. On the south side of the park, facing toward the street is the Hemiciclo a Juárez, which is a large white semi-circular monument to Benito Juárez, one of Mexico's most beloved presidents.[4]

The park's statues include

German community which is dedicated to Beethoven in commemoration of the centenary of his 9th Symphony.[6]

In 2012, the park went through a rehabilitation which began in May and was completed in December. The renewal included replacing the damaged pavement with marble, the improvement of the vegetation (including the planting of new trees), new light posts, and improvement of existing park features (e.g. benches and the fountains).[7] As part of the rehabilitation, the once ubiquitous street vendors are no longer allowed to operate within the park.[8]

During the

urban space.[14]

Gallery

  • Aerial view and adjacent buildings
    Aerial view and adjacent buildings
  • Benito Juárez Hemicycle, 1910
  • Beethoven Monument, 1921
  • View of the park before the 2012 rehabilitation. Note the many street vendors.
    View of the park before the 2012 rehabilitation. Note the many street vendors.
  • One of the various fountains within the park
    One of the various fountains within the park
  • One of the paths through the park
    One of the paths through the park
  • Gladiador frigio by José María Labastida (bronze copy)
    Gladiador frigio by José María Labastida (bronze copy)

See also

References

  1. . Just west of Bellas Artes, the Alameda Central is the largest green space in the center of the city and the oldest public park in the Americas.
  2. ^ "Three Kings Day in Mexico, a holiday in flux". LA Times Blogs - La Plaza. 6 January 2011. Consider the scene this week at the Alameda Central, the downtown Mexico City park historians describe as the oldest planned urban green space in the Americas.
  3. ^ "Cumplirá la Alameda Central 413 años". archivo.eluniversal.com.mx (in Spanish). El Universal. 10 January 2005.
  4. ^ .
  5. ^ .
  6. .
  7. ^ "Rehabilitación de la Alameda Central y su Entorno". obrasenmiciudad.df.gob.mx. Archived from the original on October 6, 2014. Retrieved October 3, 2014.
  8. ^ "Ambulantes no volverán a la Alameda Central: Ebrard". Azteca Noticias. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 29 September 2015.
  9. Ministry of Culture and Sport (Spain)
    (Museum of the Americas website)
    . Spain.
  10. .
  11. Amparo Museum
    website
    .
  12. ^ "Items: The Alameda of Mexico, taken from a balloon". The New York Public Library Digital Collections.
  13. ^ Admin. Rafael G. Córdova, Advisory Counselor (30 April 2013). "ALAMEDA CENTRAL, TRADICIÓN E HISTORIA DE LA CIUDAD DE MÉXICO". Association of Friends of Museo de Arte Popular.
  14. ^ Fernando Gutiérrez (2023) ‘I will stay here’: public space and social inequality during the COVID-19 pandemic, Journal of Urban Design, https://doi.org/10.1080/13574809.2023.2245336

External links