MEXICO CITY info - Chapultepec Park

The Chapultepec Forest is a park of Mexico City, whose name means in nahuatl ( the language of the aztecs) "locoust hill" and it is the main cultural and recreative center of the city and it�s one of the biggest, most beautiful and most visited parks of world. The Chapultepec Park that is know by the habitants of the city as Chapultepec Forest, takes its name from the hill were it's located, in whose top is the famous Chapultepec Castle, that has been been witness of the mexican history since pre-hispanic times and that is surrounded by beautiful gardens and centennial ahuehuetes (beech trees) that are some of the most ancient trees of the world.

Chapultepec Lake

The first section is the ancient sector of the park. It has a lake where people sail in little boats, a zoo (the most important of Latin America), the Chapultepec Castle (nowadays National History Museum) y and other important museums museos like the Modern Art Museum, the National Museum of Antrophology that has the biggest colection of prehispanic art of the world and the Tamayo Museum, in that are exposed the masterpieces of this important mexican painter, and also the numerous temporary expositions of international art.
In the second section, opened in 1962, are located the Presidential House of Los Pinos, the Papalote Childrens Museum and two lakes, the biggest lake is one the prefered places to practice fitness such like running or ridding bicycle, or to go to one of its two restaurants or simply for see the serenity of the waters or the lake or to fit the ducks with tortillas or bread.
The third section, inaugurated in 1974, has large green areas, an acuarium and also the Architects College is located there.

Chapultepec Alcazar

The Chapultepec Park, in special the castle of the same name, has being very outstanding places of Mexico's History. Its origins go back to the prehispanic times when the aztecs, after the consolidation of its power in the Valley of Mexico, stablished a sanctuary and beautiful gardens where the emperators went to search relaxation. Later, in times of the independent Mexico, the castle serve as Military College and more later in the days of the Emperor Maximiliano of Habsburght, after some adecuations, the castle became the official residence of the Second Mexican Empire. In the 20th Century, during the goverment of Lazaro Cardenas, the castle became into the National History Museum and the park was opened for the delight of the people of the city.

When you visit Chapultepec, you can't miss to:

See the best view of the skyline of Mexico City from the Chapultepec Castle.
Enter to the Chapultepec Park by the Lyon's Doora on the Paseo de la Reforma Avenue.
Rest in a bench in front of the lake of the first section of the park.
Visit the zoo of Chapultepec, the most importante zoo of Latin America.
Asist to one of the numerous cultural events of the Casa del Lago or in the Centro Cultural del Bosque.

Skyline of Mexico City from Chapultepec Park