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95-609: Colonia Juárez may refer to: Colonia Juárez, Mexico City Colonia Juárez, Chihuahua [REDACTED] Topics referred to by the same term This disambiguation page lists articles about distinct geographical locations with the same name. If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Colonia_Juárez&oldid=932771228 " Category : Place name disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description

190-694: A Ritz-Carlton Hotel & Residences and a Park Hyatt Hotel & Residences. In 2019, American fast food chain Shake Shack opened its first restaurant in Mexico on Reforma in front of the Angel of Independence. From May 2007, the Paseo Dominical Muévete en bici program shuts down motor vehicle traffic Sundays 8am-2pm (except the last Sunday each month) on a route that includes Paseo de la Reforma. The Paseo de la Reforma reoriented

285-596: A curse to the area. It has attracted big names, such as Paul McCartney, to stay there, but it has led to sites becoming damaged and vandalized. One major incident of this type when British soccer fans caused damage in 1985, leading to the destruction of the Calinda Geneve Hotel. Another was a more recent boycott of Jewish businesses by anti-Zionists. Soon after their installation, the parking meters paid for major reconstruction work on Havre Street. Major sidewalk, pedestrian street and garden area reconstruction

380-446: A haven for the wealthy leaving the city center, the colonia has been in near constant change. Most of the mansions built in the early part of its history have either been abandoned, converted into businesses or been taken over by squatters. However, it has had a cosmopolitan and intellectual reputation since its founding, which was reinforced with the influx of artists and intellectuals in the 1960s. The area has suffered deterioration since

475-643: A leader in the war against the French Intervention. As president, he fully supported the embellishment of the Paseo de la Reforma with statuary representing Mexico's heroes through its history, creating "monuments worth of the culture of this city, and whose sights remind of the heroism with which the nation fought against the Conquest in the sixteenth century and for the Independence and Reform in

570-507: A mural on a roof in Zona Rosa which he destroyed seconds after finishing it, as a protest against the social and political content of post-Revolution Mexican muralism . The presence of artists and intellectuals in the area prompted the opening of bookstores and art galleries. The colonia hosted other names such as Guadalupe Amor , Manuel Felguérez , Lilia Carrillo , Alfonso Suarez del Real and Elena Poniatowski . These people brought

665-497: A new wave in internationalism to the area and made the area popular with international tourists to Mexico City. This spurred more development in the way of restaurants, handcraft markets, antiques, nightclubs and more, not all of which was upscale. In the late 1980s into the 1990s, restaurants and bars displaced art galleries and other cultural establishments, but this did not diminish the area's popularity with tourists. The Colonia retained its intellectual and artistic reputation from

760-658: A pitched roof. There is a plaque on the buildings to commemorate the event. Other notable sites in the area include the Benjamin Franklin Library, and the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS) building. The telecommunications company Cablemás and the airline Magnicharters have their headquarters in Colonia Juárez. The Zona Rosa area began as a subdivision for the wealthy in the late 19th century located on

855-540: A real estate renaissance. Remarkable buildings built in recent years are Torre Mayor , Torre HSBC in the Ángel roundabout, Torre Libertad with a St. Regis Hotels & Resorts -branded hotel in the Diana fountain roundabout, and Reforma 222 designed by Mexican architect Teodoro González de León (who designed the Auditorio Nacional ) at Reforma and Havre St. Recently opened mixed-used developments include

950-471: A renewal program for Paseo de la Reforma. It included the maintenance of the existent gardens and the creation of new ones, the intensive cleaning and sweeping of streets and sidewalks, the construction of new pink quarry sidewalks and benches, the creation of access bays in the Zoo, lake and Modern Art Museum for touristic and school buses, the installation of new lighting, the moving of the monument to Cuauhtémoc to

1045-430: A road 20 meters wide, which was enormous for those days, without a central median, only a few areas on the side reserved for horses to rest. There were practically no buildings along the boulevard and sidewalks were not considered necessary. The Paseo did not include bridges or similar constructions to cross the canals and rivers which then flowed near what is now Colonia Tabacalera (then Hacienda de la Teja). The Paseo

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1140-601: A satellite city away from Mexico City catering to the wealthy. At his death in 1882, the project stagnated until Salvador Malo acquired the rights to the area and participated in creating a district council for it. Work on developing this area faltered again until the early 20th century when the México City Improvement Company and the Chapultepec Land Improvement Company took over. The Mexican Revolution brought

1235-602: A tile roof, cornices , balconies and reliefs on the doors. Next to this is another villa which houses a bar called La Tirana and a discothèque called La Estacion. In both these buildings, the original interiors are gone, but the facades remain. Another well preserved area is the “Colonia del Buen Tono” area defined by Bucareli, Turin, Abraham Gonzalez and Barcelona streets, where businessman Ernesto Pugibet , “the Carlos Slim of his era”, built housing for his employees in accordance to his religious beliefs. This housing complex

1330-539: Is Genova Street, a pedestrian mall lined with eateries, 13 of which own areas on the street on which to put tables. Here, dozens of people handing out flyers stop pedestrians and drivers advertising gay bars and men's clubs, some of which operate illegally. It is also the site of the Corridor de Arte José Luis Cuevas, which occurs on weekends when an average of forty artists display their works for sale. On this street area around forty sculptures created by young artists of

1425-807: Is a wide avenue that runs diagonally across the heart of Mexico City . It was designed at the behest of Emperor Maximilian by Ferdinand von Rosenzweig during the era of the Second Mexican Empire and modeled after the great boulevards of Europe, such as the Ringstraße in Vienna and the Champs-Élysées in Paris . The planned grand avenue was to link the National Palace with the imperial residence, Chapultepec Castle , which

1520-487: Is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Colonia Ju%C3%A1rez, Mexico City It is located between the historic center of Mexico City and the Chapultepec Park area, just south of the Paseo de la Reforma, which is one of Mexico's main commercial districts and its financial center. Since it was established in the late 19th century and early 20th as

1615-628: Is divided only by three private and quiet streets called Calle Mascota, Calle Ideal and Calle Gardenia, in contrast to the streets that surround the area. The twin museums of Ripley's and Museo de Cera are located on Londres Street. The Museo de Cero or Wax Museum is housed in a mansion designed by Antonio Rivas Mercado , who also designed the Angel of Independence monument on Paseo de la Reforma. The Ripley's Museum (Museo Ripley's "Aunque usted no lo crea!")in Mexico City houses 300 rarities from among

1710-460: Is home to Mexico City's gay community . It is also home to " Little Seoul ", center of the city's Korean immigrant population. In the 1860s this area was shallow lake waters and swamp , and was almost completely uninhabited. However, one reason that the city eventually expanded this way was the decision by Empress Carlota to build a road to connect the Castle of Chapultepec to the downtown of

1805-478: Is most problematic on Londres, Hamburgo, Abraham Gonzalez, Toledo and Liverpool streets. Many street vendors now have permanent stands. Some residents also complain about auto part stores on Abraham Gonzalez, Barcelona and Versalles streets. Street vendors have been removed from streets on occasion, but eventually they return. The colonia has 99 blocks, many with historical buildings, but only five blocks have buildings which have been renovated and preserved. Some of

1900-585: Is now located in Tlalpan . The area is served by the Mexico City Metro , Metrobús and EcoBici bikeshare, that has two stations in the neighborhood. Metro stations Metrobus stations 19°25′39″N 99°9′39.17″W  /  19.42750°N 99.1608806°W  / 19.42750; -99.1608806 Paseo de la Reforma Paseo de la Reforma (literally "Promenade of the Reform ")

1995-468: Is on Londres Street near the Museo de Cera. On Amberes Street, between Londres and Liverpool, there are a number of tenements , which are not maintained and owners do not bother to collect the tenants’ frozen rents. New construction, especially along Paseo de la Reforma, continues the trend of change of use from residential to commercial, with fifty-one of its 99 blocks having been urbanized. This construction

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2090-460: Is paid for with income from local parking meters. Since the 1990s tourism has fallen in the area, mostly due to petty crime and " hooligans ". Crime problems have lowered hotel residency rates. The Nuestra Señora del Sagrado Corazón is located on the corner of Genova and Paseo de la Reforma. It suffered two thefts of religious images, one of Saint Charbel and the other called the "Virgen del Cobre" (Copper Virgin) in 2008. Male prostitution began in

2185-440: Is raising the reputation of the area once again, with hopes of returning its prestige. The colonia is home to a number of architectural styles which date from between the 19th and 20th centuries to the present. Most of the finer mansions are located on the east side of the colonia, with a few on Paseo de la Reforma. A number of styles can be seen on Havre Street and the area around Giodano Bruno Plaza. The oldest structures date to

2280-592: Is the Sagrado Corazon de Jesus Church, built by the Hungarian immigrant community on Plaza Giordano Bruno , in which the aristocracy of the late 19th and early 20th centuries attended mass. The house of Francisco I. Madero was at Liverpool 25 on the corner with Berlin. The house was burned by Victoriano Huerta after he took power during the Decena Trágica in 1913. It is a narrow building with

2375-513: Is written by the victors, so that absent from the array of liberal heroes are statues of prominent Mexican conservatives Antonio López de Santa Anna , general and president of Mexico for much of the early 19th century; and Lucas Alamán , historian and politician. Also absent is a statue Porfirio Díaz , liberal general and president from 1876-1911, when the regime was overthrown by the Mexican Revolution . A monument, officially called

2470-510: The Angel of Independence to the Zócalo , or from the Zócalo to Los Pinos . Many parades, such as Mexico City Pride , make their way through Reforma. The Angel of Independence roundabout is an iconic representative of the city, and is the main place of the celebration of victories of the national football team , such as during World Cups . Motor vehicule traffic on the main downtown part of

2565-726: The Diana the Huntress Fountain that includes a statue featuring the Roman goddess Diana originally named The Arrow Thrower of the North Star . The Angel of Independence – a tall column with a gilded statue of a Winged Victory (that bears resemblance with an angel, therefore its common name) on its top and many marble statues on its base depicting the heroes of the Mexican War of Independence , built to commemorate

2660-548: The Escuela Nacional de Artes Plasticas of UNAM . This effort was partially sponsored by the Rotary Club of Zona Rosa. Another prominent area is Amberes Street, home to Mexico City's gay community. Homosexuality on this street and the rest of Zona Rosa is fairly open with hand holding and kissing among same-sex couples. During Gay Pride , the nightclubs, discothèques and bars of Zona Rosa fill with members of

2755-645: The LGBT community starting at midday. Many businesses, whether they cater to gay people or not, decorate with rainbow colored balloons, streamers and other items. Despite the crowds police presence is not significantly heightened. The parade marches along Paseo de la Reforma from Puerta de los Leones to the Glorieta de la Palma, with the entire stretch completely closed to traffic for the event. The city have even participated offering free AIDS tests to attendees. However, not all residents and business owners are happy with

2850-695: The State of Mexico . To combat crimes such as muggings, a special squad of "tourist police" now patrol the area, especially on less-travelled streets such as Praga, Toledo and Burdeos. The divide between rich and poor can be seen in areas such as Atenas Street. Here, next to the Palacio de Covian, the site of the Secretary of the Government, there is a building damaged by the 1985 earthquake in which nine families live illegally. These families do not pay rent and

2945-520: The Zona Rosa . More modern extensions continue the avenue at an angle to the old Paseo. To the northeast it continues toward Tlatelolco , where it changes its name near the Plaza de las Tres Culturas . There it divides into Calzada de Guadalupe and Calzada de los Misterios that continue toward La Villa . Its western portion going west from Chapultepec Park passes south of Polanco on its way through

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3040-470: The Zócalo , Mexico City's main square, was assigned to a committee of prominent architects (Carl Gangolf and Ramón Rodríguez Arangoiti) and artists (Felipe Sojo, Miguel Noreña, Santiago Rebull). The committee's original proposal planned. However, this would have required the demolition of large portion of the buildings in the city, as happened in Paris. The committee decided instead to begin the boulevard at what

3135-665: The "Altar to the Homeland" ( Altar a la Patria ), honors the Niños Héroes – the Heroic Cadets of the Battle of Chapultepec – with a particularly grand monument in the entrance of Chapultepec Park. Heroes of South American independence include Simón Bolívar and José de San Martín . There is also a fountain with sculptures that commemorate the nationalization of Mexico's oil reserves and industry in 1938, and

3230-461: The 1960s to the late 1980s. However, the 1985 Mexico City earthquake damaged many buildings in the area and devastated some, such as Plaza Washington. This and a severe economic crisis started a process of deterioration, with many residents moving out. Street peddlers significantly increased in number, and many of the damaged structures became inhabited by squatters or were converted into tenements, with absentee landlords that did not bother to collect

3325-401: The 1980s, due to the 1985 Mexico City earthquake and other factors, but there have been efforts to restore the area's former prestige, including tourism promotion, historic conservation efforts and the urbanization of areas close to Paseo de la Reforma. The best known area of the colonia is Zona Rosa (Pink Zone) which is a tourist attraction for its artistic and intellectual reputation and

3420-528: The Historic Center along Reforma was established by a double deck bus called Turibus . With the renewal project, new life has come to the avenue. It has become a main attraction of the city and the most expensive one to build on. However, after many of Mexico City's banks and business left Paseo de la Reforma for the Santa Fe business district in the last decade, the boulevard has been the center of

3515-486: The Koreans do not want to adapt to Mexican society. Another issue has been legal problems, both with the status of merchandise and the status of employees. A store owned by Koreans was shut down by police for selling imported merchandise of questionable origin in 2002, with 33 workers detained. The private school Colegio Franco Español , established in 1936, originally was at 99 Paseo de la Reforma in this colonia. It

3610-606: The Mexican Federal Government to Banks and brokerage houses. The newer buildings show a mix of contemporary styles and the commonly used style for office buildings. Five skyscrapers were recently along the boulevard between the entrance to Chapultepec Park and the Diana the Huntress Fountain : Torre Reforma (244m), Punto Chapultepec (238m), Torre BBVA Bancomer (235m), and Torre Diana (158m). Many monuments to people and events in Mexico's history and

3705-540: The Mexican government and those of Korea and Taiwan , allowing companies such as Daewoo to bring workers over from Asia. However, according to some sources, such as Alfredo Romero, professor of the Faculty of Political and Social Sciences at UNAM , a large percentage of Koreans living in Mexico have questionable immigration status. Most of Mexico City's Korean population lives in and around Zona Rosa . According to

3800-593: The Palm Tree Roundabout and Avenida Juárez. In 1872 the boulevard was renamed Paseo de la Reforma. On its flanks, upscale subdivisions were built, Colonia Americana – today Colonia Juárez , and Colonia Cuauhtémoc . The French style of the area was epitomized at the time by frequent comparisons of Paseo de la Reforma to the Champs Elysées in Paris. Liberal general Porfirio Díaz seized president power in 1876 after having distinguished himself as

3895-716: The Paseo shuts down most Sundays 8am-2pm as part of the Paseo Dominical Muévete en bici program of the Mexico City government. In 1864, during the French intervention in Mexico , the capital and much of the country was controlled by the French, with Juárez's republican government on the run in northern Mexico. In Mexico City Maximilian I was installed as emperor. He took up residence in Chapultepec Castle with his wife Empress Carlota . Modernizing

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3990-556: The Paseo officially opened to the public while work continued on it. By 1870 it had tree-lined pedestrian medians between "el Caballito" and the Palm Tree Roundabout, carried out by the Ministry of Development under Francisco P. Herrera. Between 1872 and 1876 an eight-meter bridge was built at Hacienda de la Teja and the pedestrian medians were completed all the way to Chapultepec. Eucalyptus and ash trees and willows were planted and four monumental roundabouts ( glorietas ) were built between

4085-554: The Wax Museum). In the 1960s, artists and writers from the La Ruptura movement such as José Luis Cuevas , Carlos Monsiváis Aceves , Carlos Fuentes and José Agustín moved into the Zona Rosa area. This group gave the area its name because it was "too red to be white and too white to be red", meaning that it tolerated some vice but not too much. In 1967, Cuevas, in an act which was reported by various local stations, created

4180-734: The abandoned buildings include the former headquarters of the Cuauhtémoc borough , and have been invaded by squatters since the 1960s and 1970s. In the first decade of the 21st century, the borough neglected much of the repair and maintenance work in the area, forcing the Comité Vecinal de la Colonia Juárez (the neighborhood committee) and the Asociación de Comerciantes de la Zona Rosa (local business association) to take over former city services such as repairing sidewalks, changing lights, maintaining green areas and trash bins. Much of this

4275-530: The affluent neighborhood of Lomas de Chapultepec and then into Cuajimalpa and Santa Fe on the outskirts of the city, although when it reaches this point it is more a highway than a promenade. Today, the Reforma is filled with tourist attractions, luxury restaurants and hotels , office buildings, public art exhibitions, and new construction. Reforma is a common location for Mexicans to celebrate or protest. Most protest rallies commonly go along Reforma from

4370-402: The area in 1995 and is mostly located on Hamburgo and Varsovia streets. Female prostitution is located mostly in three houses located on Dublin, Hamburgo and Chapultepec streets. Small-scale drug trafficking is common, with merchandise hidden in telephone booths , garden areas and street vendor stalls. It is often advertised by people passing out flyers with the names of non-existent businesses in

4465-508: The area now known as Colonia Juárez consisted of four colonias established in the mid-19th century: Los Arquitectos, Bucareli, Del Paseo and Nuea del Paseos. Much of this area was lakebed that was in the process of drying up; in fact at the beginning of the 20th century, there were still gulleys with water in them, most of which were around what is now the Cuauhtemoc traffic circle. The four colonias would officially be unified in 1906, under

4560-460: The area soon lost its country look. The city government initially tried to halt the development by the area but extending and raising property taxes, but it did not work. The area became the most exclusive in Mexico City, as wealthy families sought to create a European mode of living. The first residents of the new colonia were those who made their fortunes in land speculation, haciendas in other parts of Mexico, mines, banks, oil and railroads. Many of

4655-466: The area was dominated by upscale boutique and galleries until the 1980s, since then many of these businesses have given way to men's clubs, gay bars and nightclubs, massage parlors, making the area a truly “red zone” . However, businesses of all types, from upscale boutiques and antique shops to fast food restaurants all exist here. The area has 714 businesses, 137 of which are restaurants with 100,000 people per day passing through. One prominent street

4750-418: The area's gay reputation. Some business owners complain that open displays of affection drives away tourists and other visitors. While male and female prostitution exists in Zona Rosa, there have been complaints of the prostitution of minors, despite efforts since the 1990s to eradicate it. However, some in the gay community state that the prostitution of minors is not the issue that neighbors say it is, rather,

4845-631: The areas where now are found the streets named Donato Guerra, Antonio Caso, Balderas, Chapultepec and Bucareli. Just beyond this, around 1887, there were still groves and cornfields; however, soon to be built were the streets named Roma, Milán, Lucerna, Dinamarca, Hamburgo, Londres, Berlín, Río Neva, Río Amazonas and Avenida de los Insurgentes , which form the heart of Colonia Juarez. Many of the new streets were named after European capitals, due to early resident and ex-consulate of Mexico Ricardo García Granado, for his children had been born in some of these cities as he performed his diplomatic duties. Originally

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4940-402: The boulevard. Originally it included two vehicle paths, 9 meters wide each, a central island 1.5 meters wide, and two pedestrian side paths, each 9 meters wide, resplendent with ornamental plants and trees. The city government and the owners of the agricultural land along the route opposed the plan. Reasons included the fragility of the land, which was reclaimed lake bed of Lake Texcoco , and that

5035-449: The buildings had French influence, which was popular at the time, which even included mansard roofs , despite the fact that it never snows here. Because many of the houses on Londres Street in the east part of the colonia had these mansard roofs, the area was popularly known as Colonia Limantour, for this and the presence of one of the most important people to live here, José Ives Limantour, the then Minister of Taxation. Prices for land in

5130-546: The capital was part of a more general reform program to modernize the country. These included the building of infrastructure to improve domestic communications, including roads and railroads. One such project type was the creation of a series of boulevards, imitating European ones such as the Ringstraße in Vienna, or the ones under construction at that time in Paris under Napoleon III , lined with grand monuments. Two such projects were begun, one on Avenida Chapultepec, which

5225-589: The centennial of Mexico's independence in 1910. The base contains the tombs of several key figures in Mexico's war of independence . Near the central section of Reforma, across from the Alameda, is the Monumento a la Revolución ("Monument to the Revolution"). This is an enormous dome supported by four arches. It was originally planned, by Porfirio Díaz , to be a part of a new parliament building, but it never

5320-480: The city. A number of former mansions and other structures from the area's early history continue to exist, some, such as those on Berlin and Versalles Streets are well preserved. Others such as Versalles 52, is filled with squatters and still others contain businesses such as the funeral home at Versalles 50. Originally this funeral home was a country villa whose architecture was inspired by that of Renaissance Italy and France. The building features intricate glasswork,

5415-436: The city. The road was designed by Austrian engineer Allois Bollan Kuhmackl in 1865 with its trajectory recommended by the emperor . Its use was exclusive to the emperor and his retinue. When Republican forces overthrew the emperor , this avenue was named Paseo Degollado . A few years later, it received its current name. Between 1872 and 1876, President Lerdo de Tejada widened the road to its current dimensions and opened it to

5510-405: The collection of such its founder, Robert Ripley, collected during twenty years of his life. These include wine made infused with rat fetuses (Tianshuzaichiew), a sculpture of the tallest man in the world (Robert Wadlow) photographs of people and other artifacts. The Mexico City branch of the museum was established in 1992 in a structure shaped like a medieval castle and is one of 17 such museums in

5605-501: The colonia continues to increase even as the number of younger people in general decreases. Most Koreans are business owners with establishments such as restaurants, video rental places, bars and saunas, many of which cater exclusively to the Korean population, with signs and menus in Korean. There have been conflicts between Korean-owned businesses and Mexican neighbors over noise and sanitation issues, with some Mexicans complaining that

5700-521: The colonia rose rapidly from 50 cents per unit in 1872 to $ 25 in 1903. This was one of the first residential areas of the city to have electricity. This allowed residents the luxury of staying up late, and began the area's reputation as a night spot, as residents went out for coffee and other socializing spaces nearby. During the regime of Porfirio Díaz the area was filled with restaurants, cafes, bakeries and plazas, where people gathered to socialize during evenings and weekends. One early prominent location

5795-524: The colonia was built, a large number of sculptures were added to the public areas, especially on Paseo de la Reforma. Lining both sides are statues honoring writers, political leaders, and others. One prominent sculpture is that of Cuauhtémoc , for which neighboring Colonia Cuauhtémoc was named. Another is a monument to Christopher Columbus , which was a gift from Antonio Escandon. The most famous section of Colonia Juarez, Zona Rosa , began as development by Rafael Martínez de la Torre, which he envisioned as

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5890-400: The crossing of Avenida de los Insurgentes and Paseo de la Reforma, the construction of prism shaped concrete structures in the median which also have plants and flowers, the promotion of Reforma as a cultural walk organizing different expositions along the avenue sidewalks, and the maintenance of the monuments, sculptures and fountains. Also, a touristic route that goes from Chapultepec Park to

5985-596: The expansion of the city from the colonial center to an area more easily open to development for residences and businesses of the capital's middle and upper classes, separating them from the poorer and indigenous residents of the colonial core. Development occurred especially during the President Díaz 's regime (1876–1911). Structures were of more modern and diverse architectural design. Few of these original houses built in different European architectural styles remain and office blocks have been built on their place over

6080-516: The far west side of what is now Colonia Juárez. Today, Zona Rosa comprises 24 of the colonia's 99 city blocks, and shares the rest of the area's architecture and streets named after European cities. The area received its current name from artist José Luis Cuevas in the 1960s, who declared that it was “too fearful to be a red zone” (a zona roja or red zone in Spanish is an area were vices such as prostitution, alcohol and drugs are tolerated) . While

6175-471: The first president of Mexico, is honored in a low key way considering his accomplishments. Others with name recognition in Mexican history are Fray Servando Teresa de Mier (1765–1827), Carlos Maria de Bustamante (1774–1848), historian; José María Luis Mora (1794–1850); Miguel Ramos Arizpe (1775–1843), "father of Mexican federalism"; Andrés Quintana Roo (1787–1851), after whom a state is named; Miguel Lerdo de Tejada (1812–1861), prominent politician in

6270-695: The founding of the colonia. Decorative features of these homes include large stairways, multiple levels, tall windows and elements of French design, mostly based on the Baroque of Louis XIII , Louis XIV and Louis XV , including mascarons , crests and floral designs. Many have facades of tezontle , gray sandstone and even marble. The interiors generally had pastel colors and gilded accents similar to those of pre-Revolution France . Many of these houses were built by European-trained architects . mostly inspired by French and Italian designs, with occasional English influence. The streets here are wider than many others in

6365-490: The historic center where French nationals went to live in the top floors of the French department stores like Palacio de Hierro and Liverpool and Puerto de Veracruz, where they have the French Post Office and Farmacias Paris. They later moved to El Buen Tono near Chinatown and the old Spanish neighborhood on Lopez Street. When they became an economic powerhouse, especially Alsatians and Barcelonettes, they moved into

6460-598: The history of the Americas are situated on and along Reforma. The most prominent monuments are in the centers of its major traffic circles, with the monuments to Columbus, Cuauhtemoc, and the monument to Independence, "El Ángel" (1910), the most famous of the monuments. There is a lengthy list of statues added over the years along the broad avenue's sides. They mainly honor Mexican liberals, as well as some writers and journalists who influenced political discourse. Guadalupe Victoria (1786–1843), military hero of independence and

6555-505: The interior, new boutiques, restaurants, bars and nightclubs continue to open. The deterioration process from the 1980s has been partially reverted by city efforts in conservation of older buildings and tourism promotion. The colonia has thirteen branches of banks that offer international services such as currency exchange. There are also several language schools, clothing stores, malls, a crafts mall, international cuisine, museums, art galleries and hotels. Shopping and hotel options range from

6650-482: The liberal Reform; Melchor Ocampo (1814–1861), radical liberal, murdered during the War of the Reform ; Guillermo Prieto (1818–1897), prominent journalist; Gabino Barreda (1818–1881), Positivist philosopher and educator; Ignacio Manuel Altamirano (1834–1893), intellectual and writer of indigenous origins; and Vicente Riva Palacio (1832–1896), liberal general, writer, and politician, who died in Spanish exile. History

6745-406: The long-frozen rents. Most of the stately homes still in good condition were converted into businesses such as nightclubs. Residents complain that infrastructure, especially lighting, has not been sufficiently maintained, leading to crime. Until recently Zona Rosa has remained popular with tourists, although this has waned somewhat with the area's deterioration. Tourism has been both a blessing and

6840-532: The many restaurants and nightclubs in the 2,100 business and offices located here. Due to severe parking problems, 4,500 meters were installed in the colonia in 1998, which earn 8 million pesos each year. Sidewalks and sometimes streets are blocked by tables from restaurants and street vendors, making passage for the crowds difficult. However, the area still has significant problems. It is not unusual to see limousines, young people in punk attire, foreign tourists, drug addicts, panhandlers, businesspeople and more all on

6935-461: The mid-20th century, the semi rural colonia was soon engulfed by the rapidly expanding city. Many of its first residents then moved to new neighborhoods such as Lomas de Chapultepec , Polanco and Colonia Del Valle . The older houses, especially in the Zona Rosa area, began to be converted into businesses. However, it still remained upscale with the wedding of Alex Berger to María Félix occurring at an Art Nouveau mansion at Londres #6 in 1956 (today

7030-545: The name of Colonia Benito Juárez García, but the area was unofficially known as Colonia Americana for some time before that. At the end of the 19th century, this area became a favorite getaway for the wealthy elite of Mexico City, who began to build country houses here, to be close to the Chapultepec forest. Many foreigners also located here, due to the presence of a number of embassies. However, because these houses were built in an orderly fashion along straight streets,

7125-416: The newspaper Reforma , there are at least 1,000 Koreans living in Zona Rosa and about 3,000 total in Colonia Juárez. Many Korean residents do not speak Spanish and are relatively isolated from their Mexican neighbors. The area around Hamburgo, Praga, Berna and Biarritz streets has become known as “ Pequeño Seúl ,” or Little Seoul; Biarritz Street is now almost 90% Korean. The number of Korean residents in

7220-409: The oldest and most exclusive restaurants include Focolare, founded in 1953, La Gondola, founded in 1958 and Passy, also founded in 1958. However, the area also hosts a large number of fast food restaurants such as McDonald's, Burger King, Dunkin' Donuts and Little Caesar's Pizza. The colonia is one of the busiest in the city. Each day, 440,000 people enter the area to work, shop, wander around or visit

7315-420: The owner wants to evict them. These families earn money by selling crafts on the sidewalks in the colonia or by washing clothes. Some families who live on the streets of the area survive on 20 pesos per day. In many locations, the inability to recover from the events of the 1980s can still be seen. One building nearly in ruins from the 1985 earthquake stands on Praga Street on the corner of Chapultepec; another

7410-469: The present." Initially, liberal General Vicente Riva Palacio , grandson of liberal leader of independence Vicente Guerrero , was involved in projects to raise the capital's profile when he served as Díaz's Minister of Development ( fomento ) (1876–1879). As part of the centralizing impetus of Díaz's government, the Paseo de la Reforma was to include statues of heroes and cultural eminences of Mexico's constituent states, although some state leaders objected to

7505-504: The problem some have is that there is a gay community here. In 2005, the city created the Reforma-Centro Historico tourist route to connect the two areas; Zona Rosa and the historic center, and increase tourism in both. The area from Insurgentes Avenue towards the historic center is the home of the historic French community. Havre Street is the heart of the community. The French community in Mexico City began in

7600-418: The public in 1877. In the very late 19th century and early 20th century, the historic center of Mexico City was deteriorating as its colonial and Baroque buildings came to be seen as antiquidated. Many of the city's elite moved to new neighborhoods being constructed in the western suburbs along Paseo de la Reforma . Around the 1880s the city expanded west past Colonia Santa Maria de la Ribera , enveloping

7695-577: The reassertion of traditional Mexico City's power. The major intersections of the broad avenue were traffic roundabouts ( glorietas ) where statues commemorating persons and events in Mexican history were placed over the next decades. The first monument on the Paseo was the Monument to Christopher Columbus , which had been commissioned in 1873 by wealthy Mexican railway magnate Antonio Escandón and executed by French sculptor Charles Cordier in France. It

7790-418: The saltiness of the soil would supposedly not support the lush vegetation required. Despite opposition, the project continued. After a competition, it was assigned to the brothers Juan and Ramón Agea under the supervision of the Ministry of Development, Colonization, Industry and Commerce, headed by Luis Robles Pezuela. Of the original 3.15 km-long project, only one part was completed between 1864 and 1865,

7885-471: The same street. The population of the colonia declined from the 1980s, to under 9,000 people at the beginning of the 21st century. Neighborhood leaders claim that the deterioration of businesses, especially the proliferation of men's clubs and infrastructure is the cause. Some of the businesses that have been targeted as causing problems include La Michelada, El Keops, El Manhattan and El Pecado. In addition, street peddlers block sidewalks and streets; this issue

7980-407: The streets around the neighborhood with Second Empire mansions that reminded them of Parisian buildings. Today many French establishments still reside here, and the French community still congregates here. There are an estimated 9,000 Korean nationals living in Mexico City. Most immigrated to Mexico in the 1990s and first decade of the 21st century, as a result of commercial agreements signed by

8075-554: The upscale and international community here to an end, as it represented the Porfirian era. Many of the houses here were abandoned and some, such as the one belonging to Francisco I. Madero , were burned during the Decena Trágica in 1913. After the war was over, a number of these mansions were appropriated by the government to house institutions such as the Secretary of Health, now Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social . By

8170-406: The very expensive to the very affordable. The 240-room Four Seasons Hotel is the most upscale hotel and restaurant in the area. The Champs Elysees is a restaurant with more than 40 years in business, located on Paseo de la Reforma between Estocolmo and Amberes streets. Its specialty is French food such as foie gras and duck confit. It has hosted the families of a number of Mexican presidents. Some of

8265-678: The world, but the only in Latin America. The museum is located at Londres #4 and #6. It is joined with the Museo de la Cera. On Londres Street is an abandoned mansion which served as the embassy of the Spanish Republican government during the Spanish Civil War . When Mexico became the only nation to continue recognizing the Republican government, it became the headquarters for the government-in-exile. Next to it

8360-477: The years. Although there is no single block that has kept its former architecture, a couple of scattered buildings show the opulence enjoyed by the elites during Porfirio Díaz' regime. Although most of the modern buildings are unremarkable, the Art Deco Lotería Nacional building and the functionalist IMSS building are an exception. Today Paseo de la Reforma houses offices ranging from

8455-530: Was at this time for the exclusive use of the imperial court, a policy enforced by a dedicated police force. At the time, people with horses or horses and carriages, promenaded along the Paseo de Bucareli (today Avenida Bucareli between Avenidas Juárez and Chapultepec. After the downfall of the Second Mexican Empire and the restoration of the republic in 1867, the Paseo de la Emperatriz was renamed Calzada Degollado in honor of General Santos Degollado and then in 1872 Paseo de la Reforma. On February 17, 1867

8550-468: Was erected in 1877, shortly after Díaz seized power. For liberals it was objectionable for its religious iconography and a second statue to Columbus was placed elsewhere in the capital in 1892. The Monument to Cuauhtémoc was a planned installation. The monument to Independence was inaugurated in 1910, during the celebrations of the centennial of the Hidalgo revolt. In 2003 Mexico City's government started

8645-456: Was never completed, and the other to connect the city center with Chapultepec Castle. The latter was named Paseo de la Emperatriz, in honor of Empress Carlota, and was to be for the personal use of the Emperor. Austrian mining engineer Alois Bolland was put in charge of the project and designed what was finally implemented. The route and the construction of six boulevards radiating outward from

8740-789: Was the Hotel Emporio on Paseo de la Reforma, which had tea rooms and cafes, attracting some of the wealthiest families in the city; a similar one was the Hotel Imperial, which also had various stores. Both buildings still exist and the Emporio conserves most of its original facade. Another famous hotel was the Hotel Reforma. It was home to a bar called "Ciro's" during the 1940s and 1950s, where Pedro Infante began his career; María Félix visited and Agustín Lara gave concerts. It has since been demolished for redevelopment. When

8835-708: Was then on the southwestern edge of town. The project was originally named Paseo de la Emperatriz ("Promenade of the Empress") in honor of Maximilian's consort Empress Carlota . After the fall of the Empire and Maximilian's subsequent execution, the Restored Republic renamed the Paseo in honor of the La Reforma . It is now home to many of Mexico's tallest buildings such as the Torre Mayor and others in

8930-515: Was then the edge of the city, 1.5 km west of the Zócalo, where Avenida Bucareli meets Avenida Juárez and where the Equestrian statue of Charles IV of Spain stood. From that location, the Paseo's route led to the bottom of the royal residential area at Chapultepec Castle , where it connected to the road circling up to the castle at the top of the hill. The Austrian engineers Bolland and Ferdinand van Rosenzweig were assigned to construct

9025-423: Was undertaken in Zona Rosa in the mid-to-late first decade of the 21st century, after 20 years of no maintenance. Today the colonia, especially the Zona Rosa area, is a mix of wealth and poverty, old and new with many conflicting changes. New construction, most of it tall office and apartment buildings, is going up along Paseo de la Reforma, with predictions that this will return the area to its former prestige. In

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