As one of the oldest parks in all of the Americas, Alameda Central in Mexico City has quite a history. It has been a marketplace, an area exclusively reserved for the nobility, a place to celebrate the triumph of war and is today a serene location where residents and visitors can go to enjoy this history as well as the character of the contemporary city. This continued evolution is indicative of how Alameda Central has been able to create a legacy that is tied to the culture and economy of the city.
From an Aztec Marketplace to the Hub of Mexico City
Created by Viceroy Luis de Velasco in 1592, Alameda Central takes its name from the Spanish word for poplar trees (álamo). Built on the site of an Aztec marketplace, the area was originally only half the site it is today but was expanded in the late 1700s. A wooden fence was also built at this time to surround the park and to close it off to everyone except the nobility.
Alameda Central was reclaimed by the masses following the winning of Mexican Independence in 1821. As an example of what doing so meant, President Lopez de Santa Anna demanded the fountains be filled with alcohol in 1846 upon riding into the city in triumph after provoking the United States into war. Fountains and statues were added to park over the years, which include monuments dedicated to Benito Juárez and Beethoven.
Although Alameda Central has been updated with features like gas and electric lamps over the decades, a major renovation in 2012 breathed new life into the area. The renewal included replacing the damaged pavement with marble, the planting of new trees, the installation of new light posts, and the improvement of existing park features such as the benches and fountains.
These updates were needed and appreciated by residents and visitors and have helped them to experience the monuments and other landmarks of Alameda Central in a whole new way.
A Collection of Sights and Experiences
Walking through Alameda Central allows visitors to experience everything from large monuments to gorgeous statues to the Palacio de Bellas Artes (Palace of Fine Arts) that forms the border of the east end of the park. There are countless activities going on in the park at any given time, many of which are centered on the unique attractions and monuments found in it.
The five classical fountains located throughout the park are of French design, while the monument of Beethoven was donated by the German community in commemoration of the centenary of his 9th Symphony. More statues were added over the years, and the geometric layout of the park has allowed audiences to experience all of this culture while enjoying the serene and natural surroundings of the park.
The most famous and impressive of all these landmarks and monuments is the Benito Juárez Hemicycle. This semi-circular monument has a statue of Juárez flanked by two others representing the fatherland and law. It has been a meeting place for the start of marches and popular rallies, including the student movement of 1968 and marches in support of Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador in 2006.
Like other parks that combine the natural and constructed wonders of the area, Alameda Central attracts audiences for many reasons, and the impact of doing so on the culture and economy of Mexico City is evident in multiple ways.
Culture, Community and Art
Audiences are continually drawn to Alameda Central because there’s no other place like it in Mexico City, and the experiences people can have in it continually evolve. That evolution has taken place over the decades, but these changes are now taking place far more frequently thanks to temporary art installations that are spread across the park. These pieces encourage audiences to interact with them in multiple ways and their continual rotation means residents and visitors are able to directly see and interact with different aspects and elements of the community.
Additionally, sponsorships for these pieces represent a direct economic opportunity for Alameda Central. The artists are not influenced or impacted by these sponsors in any manner, allowing the city and artists to benefit from the support and exposure for these pieces of art.
Residents have other options to engage with one another and the wider community at the park as well though. A gazebo, as well as informal seating spaces, provide everyone with a specific place to get together. Anything from a dance class to an exercise routine to a seminar can be taking place in these spaces across the park.
After experiencing such sights, audiences find themselves with numerous options in the vicinity that range from the shops and stores that surround the park along with the Paseo de la Reforma and the Torre Latinoamericana (Latin-American Tower), bith of which are located a short distance from Alameda Central. These attractions and stores have been able to benefit from the activity that is constantly happening at Alameda Central to enable a powerful economic impact for the entire area.
This activity has ensured that Alameda Central has established itself as an important monument for Mexico City, which can be seen in the Park’s immortalization in the painting by Diego Rivera, Dream of a Sunday Afternoon in Alameda Central Park. It depicts famous people and events in the history of Mexico passing through Alameda Central. It’s no coincidence that Rivera’s grand narrative of Mexico takes place in a location that is has become so central to the hearts and minds of everyone who lives in and visits Mexico City.
An Immortal Icon for Mexico City
With signs all over Mexico City that point visitors in the direction of Alameda Central as well a prominent position in maps of the city, Alameda Central has become a monument that is a destination for both residents and tourists. The cultural and economic impact of doing so can be seen in terms of how it has become an immortal icon and monument for Mexico City and the country as a whole.
