Government Palace of Chihuahua

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The Government Palace in Chihuahua

The Government Palace of Chihuahua (Palacio de Gobierno de Chihuahua) is a 19th

century building in the city of Chihuahua, Mexico. Located in the heart of the city, it is of
special interest since it houses the executive offices of the governor of the state of
Chihuahua and, until 2004, the state legislature met here. The building is a landmark in the
city as it contains a shrine commemorating the execution of Miguel Hidalgo, considered the
Father of the Country, who died at the hands of a Spanish firing squad on July 30, 1811.
The Altar de la Patria, or Altar of the Motherland is located at the exact spot where Fr
Hidalgo died.

Contents
 1 History
 2 Style and Architecture
 3 Gallery
 4 External links

[edit] History
Panel of mural showing the death of Hidalgo, next to the altar

The Altar of the Motherland; The spot where Fr Hidalgo was executed by the Spanish.

Originally, a Jesuit College stood on the site. In 1767 the Society of Jesus was expelled
from New Spain, and the building remained abandoned until it was converted into a
military hospital in 1790, and was acquired by the Federal Government in 1859 after the
Laws of Reform had been passed by the liberal regime of President Benito Juarez.

The old building was razed in 1878 after being turned over to the State Government, and
the new Government Palace was begun in 1881 under the administration of Governor Luis
Terrazas and placed under the supervision of Engineer-Architect Pedro Ignacio Irigoyen,
with the assistance of Enrique Esperón and Carlos Moreno. A new street was opened and
the old site of the Jesuit College was divided into two squares by Calle Libertad. The
Government Palace occupies the lot south of Libertad, while on the northern side of the
street stood the Chihuahua Federal Branch Mint, built after the demolition of the former
college, demolished in turn in 1908, and is now the site of the Museo Casa Chihuahua, once
the Federal Palace of Chihuahua, which was itself inaugurated in 1910.

It took almost ten years to complete the work, and on September 11, 1891 the building was
ready for occupancy, being officially inaugurated on June 1, 1892 by Governor Lauro
Carrillo. The palace had originally two storeys and was built in neoclassic style from
limestone. Its cost was put at $388,130.19 (pesos).
On Saturday, June 21, 1941 the palace suffered extensive damage by fire which gutted the
structure; however, it was totally restored and a third floor was added, and the building was
re-inaugurated in 1947. The project of reconstruction was done under the charge of
Engineers Enrique Miller, Manuel O'Reilly and Carlos Ochoa.

In 1959, then-Governor Teofilo Borunda ordered the decoration of some of the first-floor
inside walls with a series of murals illustrating the history and the economy of the state.
Muralist Aarón Piña Mora was chosen to do the work and the first panel to be painted was
the one illustrating the death of Miguel Hidalgo. When President Adolfo Lopez Mateos
visited the city in 1962 he recommended that the work continue. The entire first floor and
part of the second floor are now covered with murals painted by one of Mexico's renowned
muralists.

[edit] Style and Architecture

The palace is designed and decorated in the neoclassic style, with the first floor of the Doric
order, the second of the Ionic and the third a hybrid style. The Patio Central was decorated
with a sculpture which represents the four races of humanity; however it eventually was
moved to El Parque España, one of the parks in the city centre.

In 2004 under the administration of Governor Patricio Martinez the Government Palace
was restored and such features as the State Coat of Arms was added and the sculpture of
'The Four Races' was installed once again in the Central Patio. A statue of Miguel Hidalgo
was also erected.

[edit] Gallery

One of the panels

illustrating the The Coat of Arms of the The sculpture of 'The The Old Legislative
construction of the State on third-floor Chamber inside the
Four Races'.
Cathedral of balcony. Palace.
Chihuahua.

The palace decorated

Commemorative plaque for Independence The palace, as seen
indicating the place Day, 16 September. from the Plaza
 where an assassination Mayor, decorated for
Statue of Miguel attempt was made Christmas.
Hidalgo on ground against Governor
floor. Patricio Martinez.

See also: Government Palace of Chihuahua in Wikimedia Commons

[edit] External links

 http://www.municipiochihuahua.gob.mx/historia/edificios.aspx
 http://www.e-local.gob.mx/work/templates/enciclo/chihuahua/

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Government_Palace_of_Chihuahua"

Categories: Palaces in Mexico | Chihuahua
Hidden categories: Mexico articles missing geocoordinate data | All articles needing
coordinates

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