Palacio de Bellas Artes
Of all the monumental structures in Mexico City's city center, there is probably none more iconic than the Palacio Bellas Arts, with its orange dome, its elaborate belle epoque facade, and its magnificent interior murals. Construction on this colossal white-marble opera house began in 1904 under the direction of the Europhilic dictator Porfirio Díaz. The striking structure is the work of Italian architect Adamo Boari, who also designed the city's post office; pre-Hispanic motifs trim the facade, which leans toward the opulence of the belle epoque while also curiously hinting at the pared-down art deco style that would take hold in the Mexican capital in just a few years. The beginning of the Revolution in 1910 brought construction to a halt and threw the country into economic turmoil for a decade. By the time construction commenced again, the political, economic, and aesthetic world of Mexico had changed dramatically, resulting in an interior clad in red, black, and pink marble quarried in Mexico (the white exterior is from Carrara, Italy) and clear, straight lines that complement the murals by the great Mexican triumvirate of Siqueiros, Orozco, and Rivera, which you can visit for a fee. There are interesting temporary art exhibitions as well, plus an elegant cafeteria and a bookshop with a great selection of art books and magazines.
Palacio Bellas Artes is also home to the Museum of the Palace of Fine Arts, the National Architecture Museum, Ballet Folklorico, the National Opera Company, and many other cultural offerings.
