Life in many regions of Mexico City revolves around the green space. The Chapultepec park, almost twice the size of the Manhattan central park, is said to be on average 40,000 visitors per day. The Central Alameda, located next to the Palacio de Bellas Artes in the historic center, is perhaps the oldest park in the Americas. The Desierto de Los Leones National Park is one of the most popular destinations for Urbanites to hike. However, none of these parks corresponds to the energy of a Sunday morning walk through the leafy parque of Condesa.
At 9 am, the inhabitants have already claimed their spots: joggers accelerate the winding trails, the gossip of dog owners while their pets play without leash and families spread covers on grass plates to enjoy a picnic of the weekend.
The sensory experience at the México Parque is distinctly Mexico. While sellers selling fresh fruit and tamals call their offers, the smell of coffee derives from the plethora of cafes that line the streets. The music of an impromptu dance class will resonate with the Art Deco amphitheater while children howl by the duck pond.
This 88,000 square meter urban sanctuary provides not only a respite from surrounding concrete; Parque México tells a unique side of the history of Mexico City through its architecture, its activities and the diversified crowd that it attracts every weekend.
Its origins are colonial
The story of Parque México extends further than many visitors. The land was originally part of the Santa Catalina del Arenal Hacienda, built in 1610. Then, on the outskirts of Mexico City and covering a large part of what is now, it was mainly dedicated to the production of Pulque, cattle and fruit culture. Over the centuries, Hacienda has changed hands several times. In the 1700s, he fell under the property of the third countess of Miravalle, who was a descendant of Moctezuma and linked to Charles II of Spain.
It was once a racing track
At the beginning of the 20th century, the Jockey Club bought part of this land and built a horse racing track, which explains the oval shape of the park. At the end of the Mexican revolution, the route where horses once galloped for the entertainment of the Mexico City elite ceased. The promoters who bought the old race track in 1927 were bound by a contract stipulating that 60,000 square meters of the property must be converted to a public park, and Parque México was born.
This is not his name
Even if everyone calls him Parque México, this is not the official name of the park. He is technically called the General Parque San Martín, named José de San Martín, a leader in independence in Argentina, Chile and Peru. The dedication was officially made in December 1927 as a gesture of good will towards Argentina. However, the park is commonly known and called México parque because of its location on Avenida México. Need a visual? Head towards the northwest corner of the park near the Amalia Gonzalez library, where a bust of San Martín is proud.
His disposition was inspired by a British urban planner
José Luis Cuevas Pietrasanta, the visionary architect behind the Hipódromo Condesa district, was strongly inspired by the Garden City movement of the British urban planner Ebenezer Howard.
Howard launched the innovative city development concept in order to create both sustainable and peaceful urban environments, combining the best aspects of municipal life and nature. Cuevas Pietrasanta used these principles during the planning of the Mexico Parque, resulting in the most progressive and successful urban development project in the capital of the 1920s. While most of the city stretched at random, Hipódromo Condesa has become a plan for future use. It was the first district of Mexico City where buildings and nature had to deliberately coexist harmoniously, with the streets surrounding the Mexico parque pushing outwards in a circular and fanciful way.
It took three architects
More than the chief architect of the park, José Luis Cuevas Pietrasanta was one of the most influential urban designers in Mexico City. Beyond Colonia Hipódromo, he designed the high-end district of Lomas de Chapultepec, the Casa de José Gargollo y Garay on Paseo de la Reforma and the Edison building in the historic center.
Leonardo Noriega had a talent for art deco, which he used during the design of the striking Foro Lindbergh amphitheater. Its geometric shapes, its decorative patterns and its clean lines testify to its artistic flair. Even if the name of Noriega is not as important of his contemporaries, his contribution to the Mexico prosecutor was deep and helped to establish Art Deco as a determining style in the architectural identity of Mexico.
Is a park without sculpture really a park? According to José María Fernández Urbina, the answer is no. Fernández Urbina brought her three -dimensional expertise to the México Parque project, creating the famous Fuente de los Cántaros (jugs fountain) which remains one of the most popular characteristics of the park.
Together, these three designers have not only created a beautiful green space in the heat of Condesa. By mixing European influences with Mexican aesthetics, the team presented a daring cultural declaration on modern Mexican identity during the national reinvention period which followed the Mexican revolution.
Charles Lindbergh was there … maybe
The amphitheater Art Deco Foro Lindbergh is the architectural centerpiece of Parque México, the cultural heart and the favorite meeting point for the gaters of salsa. But many visitors remain unconscious in fascinating history behind his name.
The forum is indeed named after Charles Lindbergh, the American aviator who piloted the first non -stop solo transatlantic flight from New York to Paris. Some say that its accomplishment has captured the imagination of Mexico City urban planners.
Local legend says something more dramatic. Some believe that Lindbergh himself won an airplane in this place even in December 1927. Although historians struggled if it really happened, history speaks of Mexico’s enthusiasm for aviation progress at that time, perhaps as a means of reducing the distances between nations and inspiring new international relations.
He has historical rules
There are several art deco eccentric style stone panels throughout the park, all dating from 1927, indicating the right way to act during the visit to make sure that the México parque remains well maintained. These signs use a distinctive language which reflects not only the social norms spent in Mexico, but also presents the way in which the speech used to indicate its social class. This characteristic adds character to the mexico parque, serving both practical guide and a cultural artifact. Look for signs that say things like “respect for trees, plants and grass: is a sign of unequivocal culture” and “dogs seriously damage a park: Bring them on a leash”.
It is an ecosystem living in the middle of the city
Parque México works as an urban forest in Mexico City. The canopy of the park includes majestic jacarandas, ashes, palm trees, fir trees and native ahuehuetes (Cypress Montezuma), many of which have been present for centuries.
More than a pretty face, Parque México plays a vital environmental role by helping to filter air pollution, reduce urban heat and provide a home for wildlife. For residents of the surrounding high density neighborhoods, the park offers essential access to nature without leaving the city, a living recall of the natural heritage of Mexico in the middle of the urban landscape.
An animated cultural center
DCCing in Timba Casino Class | Mexico Park 🕺🏽 @ timbacasino3745
Each weekend, more than 10,000 visitors transform México parque into a dynamic social center. Residents come here for free salsa lessons, zumba sessions and impromptu performance. You can learn to skate rollers or how to handle an LED saber correctly. If your idea of burning calories on a Sunday is to shop, the sellers fill the park with all kinds of delicious products – craft jewelry, house plants, interior decoration – you can even adopt a cat!
An important historical benchmark
Recognized by the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) as a cultural benchmark, the park physically represents the urban evolution of Mexico. A 2008 renovation introduced sustainable irrigation systems to maintain their greenery in the midst of the city’s water challenges.
While Condesa continues to become one of the most desirable districts of the country, Parque México remains an anchor of accessibility to the public for all. The park is open daily, including holidays.
Bethany Platanella is traveling planner and lifestyle writer based in Mexico City. She lives for the dopamine who comes directly after having reserved a plane ticket, exploring the local markets, practicing yoga and nibbling fresh tortillas. Register to receive it Sndi love letters At your reception box, browse it blogor follow it Instagram.
