Gran Plaza travel guide

Modern and historic buildings surround its green spaces, trees and fountains

The Gran Plaza was established in 1984 and is located between the Governor’s Palace and the modern new city hall in the south. Modern and historic buildings surround its green spaces, trees and fountains. The plaza is almost 1km/0.6mi long and about 100m/328ft wide. The monuments of Miguel Hidalgo, José María Morelos, Benito Juárez and Mariano Escobedo are located along the Esplanada de los Héroes (Esplanade of the Heroes) close to the government building. The water of the spectacular 60 x 30m/197 x 98ft Neptune Fountain Fuente de la Vidacascades over three levels between the bronze sculptures of Luis Sanginio. Between 1603 and 1851, the cathedralwith its single spire was built on the west side of the plaza. On the opposite side, a laser beam points up at night from the remarkable, 76m/249ft-high monument by Luis Barragánknown as the Lighthouse of Commerce. The equestrian statue of General Zaragoza and the monument to the city’s founder Diego de Montemayor stand in the centre of the southern part of the Gran Plaza. Rufino Tamayos’s sculpture "Homenaje al Sol" (homage to the sun) has found its place next to the new city hall (Palacio Municipal) at the end of the plaza. The Governor’s PalacePlaza de Cinco Mayo with the statue of Benito Juárez in the centre forms the northern part of the Gran Plaza. This is the site of the Governor’s Palace, which was built from sandstone. It is worth taking a look at the colonial patio and the representation rooms with a small exhibition of historic items, among them the guns used to shoot Emperor Maximilian and his generals in 1867. The rooms are decorated with frescoes. Diagonally opposite, the tower of the federal building offers a nice view.

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