The story
Welcome to one of the most prestigious corners of Mexico City’s historic heart. As you stand here on the bustling pedestrian thoroughfare of Avenida Madero, look up at the towering facade of Number 17. This is the Palacio de Iturbide, a masterpiece of eighteenth-century Mexican Baroque that has witnessed the birth of a nation.
Notice the striking contrast of colors on the exterior. The deep, porous red stone is tezontle, a volcanic rock native to this region, framed by the elegant, light-gray chiluca limestone. When this palace was completed in 1785, it was unlike anything else in the city.
In fact, it was the only residence permitted to stand four stories high, making it the skyscraper of its era. It was commissioned by the Count of San Mateo de Valparaíso as a wedding gift for his daughter, a gesture of wealth so grand it still commands the street today. The palace earned its name not from the Count, but from the man who briefly changed the course of Mexican history: Agustín de Iturbide.
In 1821, after Mexico won its independence from Spain, Iturbide was offered the crown of the First Mexican Empire. He used this very building as his residence, and it was from one of these ornate balconies that he was proclaimed Emperor. Imagine the crowds packed into this street, the air thick with the spirit of a new, sovereign country.
Though his reign lasted less than a year, the name Palacio de Iturbide stuck forever. If you step through those massive, intricately carved wooden doors, you will leave the noise of modern Mexico City behind. The interior courtyard is a sanctuary of light and symmetry.
Look at the rows of arches and the slender columns that seem to reach for the sky. The architect, Francisco Guerrero y Torres, was a self-taught genius who never left Mexico, yet he created a space that rivals the grandest villas of Europe. Over the centuries, this building has worn many hats.
It has been a luxury hotel, a mining college, and even a row of shops. Today, it serves as the Palacio de Cultura Citibanamex. It no longer houses emperors, but it remains a guardian of Mexican heritage, hosting world-class art exhibitions within its hallowed halls.
As you move on, take one last look at the roofline. See the stone carvings of cannons and soldiers? They are silent sentinels guarding a legacy of ambition and art.
When you are ready, let us continue our walk through history, but remember the echo of the Emperor’s footsteps that still lingers here at Madero 17.