Architecture, Pachuca

Built on an islet in the center of the lake, the city of Mexico grew up with a network of canals and artificial islands, making the Templo Mayor take place. The Spanish conquerors built he Metropolitan Cathedral on top of it, so the memory of the old and imposing pre-Hispanic Temple was lost for centuries. In the late 70s, workers from the electricity company accidentally found structures that the archaeologists identified as the sought temple. Fortunately, today you can visit a large dug up section in a good state of conservation. You can admire sections of the temples dedicated to Huitzilopochtli, the lord of war, and Tlaloc, lord of the rain. Between the walls of several sections of the temple, there are altars, snakes carved in stone and an imposing Tzompantli, which is a wall covered with representations of skulls, this because the Aztecs worshipped the dead, tradition maintained by Mexicans. https://www.visitmexico.com/en/actividades-principales/mexico-city/templo-mayor-museum

Mexico City’s mammoth cathedral was built across three centuries (1573–1813)—starting soon after Cortés and his allies vanquished the Aztec Empire—using stones taken from a destroyed indigenous temple. Today’s sanctuary serves up contrasts between unadorned neoclassical walls alongside exuberant gilt chapels and altarpieces as well as a massive pipe organ, with some baroque elements, that’s still dusted off and played from time to time. Be sure not to miss the high altar, and consider shelling out for a visit to the sacristy, with its glistening dome, grand canvases, and massive cabinets, fit to hold an archbishop’s entire stock of holy utensils. And for a queasy view of how much the ground beneath the city is sinking, note how chandeliers appear to list in comparison to the chapel’s vertical lines. https://www.afar.com/places/mexico-city-metropolitan-cathedral-mexico-city

The Palace of Fine Arts in Mexico City is one the grandest sites among its many attractions. The Palacio de Bellas Artes (Bellas Artes Palace) is located close to the Zocalo and neighbours the Alameda Central Park. This attraction should be on the must-visit list for tourists in Mexico City. The Palace serves as the main venue for the Ballet Folklorico de Mexico. It also hosts exhibitions and theatrical performances. The Palace also provides encouragement to visual arts, music, literature, architecture and dance. It houses two museums within its building. The Museo del Palacio de Bellas Artes (Bellas Artes Palace Museum) features temporary exhibits while the Museo Nacional de Arquitectura (National Architecture Museum) occupies a permanent place at the top floor of the building. The first and second-floor of the building feature epic murals done by some of Mexico's greatest artists such as Diego Rivera, Rufino Tamayo, David Alfaro Siqueiros and Jose Clemente Orozco. The star highlight of the Palace is the glass curtain in the main theatre. This striking stage glass curtain is a stained-glass foldable panel that features the landscape of the Valley of Mexico with its two great volcanoes, Popocatepetl and Iztacchihuatl. https://www.mexicocity.com/blog/2012/11/23/palace-of-fine-arts-in-mexico-city/

Chapultepec has the rather dubious distinction of being the only castle within North America to ever house actual sovereigns. It was originally constructed in 1725 on the orders of the Viceroy Bernardo de Gálvez, and was meant to be a large manor house for the Viceroy, who was the commander-in-chief of the Spanish colony, New Spain. Currently the castle is the seat of National Museum of Cultures, which was formerly known as the Museum of Natural History. It was established as such by Lázaro Cárdenas in 1939. In this capacity it is open to visitors who can come and tour both the castle itself and the various collections it now houses. Through the past decades it has become a favorite location of movie directors appearing in both Robert Aldrich’s Vera Cruz and Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo and Juliet. https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/chapultepec-castle

It is a small but charming “Magical Town”, just 4 hours away from Acapulco, nestled in an area surrounded by great hills and mountains, thanks to the intense exploitation of its silver deposits. Its people still live from the commerce and manufacture of objects that the precious metal alloys; the baroque constructions raised during the mining boom of the Colony are still preserved. Any terrace is good to contemplate those jewels of the past, the new and small must be sought among the cobbled streets that go up and down everywhere. In addition, Taxco has a peculiar beauty, because this magnificent Magical Town has the ability to transport us to another time and space, just to the time of colonial Mexico. Its beautiful cobblestone streets are characterized by its inclination, and almost all of them lead to beautiful little squares where it is possible to walk, visit the kiosk or sit on one of their benches. https://www.visitmexico.com/en/main-destinations/guerrero/taxco

With an incredible view of the sheltered harbor and the bay of Santa Lucia, you will find the most important maritime fortress of the Pacific - San Diego Fort - Historical Museum of Acapulco. https://www.visitmexico.com/en/main-activities/acapulco/visit-san-diego-fort

Durango, which is known as the land of scorpions, has something very special in its streets and in its stories. You will feel like you're walking through an art museum that contains every architectural style. The foyer is the Plaza de Armas. Stop by the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception Cathedral to admire its structure, which has remained beautiful and intact. https://www.visitmexico.com/en/main-activities/durango/come-to-know-the-durango-downtown

The Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, considered the most beautiful cathedral in northwestern Mexico. Admire its facade while appreciating the exceptional baroque decoration in its interior. https://www.visitmexico.com/en/main-activities/mazatlan/experience-the-historical-wealth-of-mazatlan

Cosala is a Pueblo Mágico (Magical Town) that retains a unique cultural and historic identity. Its picturesque landscapes and charming colonial past distinguish the town. https://www.visitmexico.com/en/main-activities/mazatlan/discover-the-cultural-wealth-of-cosala

Walk along the traditional Paseo Montejo to admire the old houses of the Porfiriato accompanied by large trees which project their playful silhouettes on the wide paved sidewalks. https://www.visitmexico.com/en/main-activities/merida/discover-the-cultural-richness-of-merida

he chain of missions established along the San Antonio River in the 18th century is a reminder of one of Spain's most successful attempts to extend its New World dominion from Mexico. http://visitsanantonio.com/english/Microsites/New-Template-(2)/About-San-Antonio/Top-Attractions

The 300-year-old Mission San Antonio de Valero was the site of a pinnacle battle during the Texas Revolution March of 1836. Here, 189 defenders held off Mexican General Santa Anna's 4,000 soldiers for 13 days. http://visitsanantonio.com/english/Microsites/New-Template-(2)/About-San-Antonio/Top-Attractions

Chichen Itza is probably the most important city of the Mayan Culture in the Yucatan peninsula and has the most amazing buildings of any other Mayan ancient cities. Chichen Itza is also the largest and most impressive of the Mayan ruins, is an spectacular and mystical place to visit, if you only want to do one day trip during your vacation in Cancun, this should be this one. Chichen-Itza (chee-chehn eet-sah) in Maya, was a sacred city of the Itza and the name literally means: "Mouth of the well of the Itza". Located 75 miles east of Merida, the capital of the State of Yucatan, Mexico; it covers an area of approximately six square miles where hundreds of buildings once stood. Now most are mounds but more than thirty may still be seen by tourists. The ruins of Chichen Itza are divided into two groups. One group belongs to the classic Maya Period and was built between the 7th and 10th centuries A.D., at which time the city became a prominent ceremonial center. The other group corresponds to the Maya-Toltec Period, from the later part of the 10th century to the beginning of the 13th century A.D. This area includes the Sacred Well and most of the outstanding ruins. https://www.cancunadventure.net/mayanruins/chichenitza.php

The Convent of San Bernardino stands with its majestic architectural style as one of the most popular attractions in Valladolid. https://www.visitmexico.com/en/main-activities/valladolid/a-fort-to-pray-in-valladolid

Houston’s most photographed site, this dramatic 64-foot U-shaped fountain has water rushing down its inside and outside walls.Designed and created in 1985 by the internationally acclaimed architectural team of Philip Johnson and John Burgee, the Water Wall pumps 78,500 gallons of recycled water every three hours and 20 minutes. More than 180 live oaks shade the three-acre area that plays host to families and couples out for a stroll, picnic, or even a game of Frisbee. https://www.visithoustontexas.com/listings/water-wall/20713/

Come and visit the historical Buffalo Soldier National Museum and learn more about not only African American history but American history as well. The goal of the Buffalo Soldier Museum is to interpret articulate collect display and preserve historical artifacts documents videos prints and other historical memorabilia which details the history of the brave men and women who overcame extreme adversity while gallantly fighting the great American wars. http://houmuse.org/visit/buffalo-soldiers-national-museum/

The Mexican American Cultural Center is dedicated to the preservation, creation, presentation, and promotion of Mexican American cultural arts and heritage. https://www.austintexas.org/listings/emma-s-barrientos-mexican-american-cultural-center/2981/

The Elisabet Ney Museum is the historic 1892 Austin studio of European-born sculptor and activist Elisabet Ney (1833-1907). It features her own work—large scale classical style portraits of 19th-century European intellectuals, statesmen, and royalty, as well as Texas notables—and exhibitions of contemporary art, both on the grounds and inside the building. Part of the 2.5 acre site features a historic prairie recreation. Admission is free and events are held year-round. https://www.austintexas.org/listings/elisabet-ney-museum/1523/

Located in the heart of Belize City, St. John’s Cathedral is one of the few physical legacies of the long period as a British colony. Built in 1812 as the Church of England’s headquarters in Central America, the cathedral was once used to crown four different native kings of the Miskito tribe in lavish ceremonies matching the pomp and circumstances of coronations in Europe. Today, the cathedral is the oldest surviving building constructed by Europeans in Belize. Using the enormous ballast stones brought over from Europe, English colonizers in what was then known as British Honduras erected the mighty St. John’s Cathedral as the power base of the Church of England in Central America. Visitors today can marvel at the well-preserved architecture made from sapodilla and mahogany wood, an antique pipe organ and tombstones of English colonists from the earliest days of the settlement of Belize City. https://www.belizehub.com/st-johns-cathedral/

At Km 2.7 of the Puerto Juárez - Punta Sam highway north of Cancun, is El Meco. On the site you can see 14 structures with a main temple: El Castillo, which is a pyramid of five levels. http://cancun.travel/en/mayan-culture/El-Meco

Featuring a single-level, 30,000-square-foot gaming floor with 1,500 slot machines and 51 table games, including a poker room; a hotel with 205 guestrooms and a rooftop pool. The casino also includes a multi-purpose event center with concert seating for up to 1,400 people or banquet seating for up to 800 people, a covered parking garage, unique dining options and entertainment venues overlooking the Mississippi River. https://www.visitbatonrouge.com/listing/lauberge-casino-baton-rouge/1295/

A 1792 French Creole plantation house authentically restored with outbuildings and gardens covering 15 acres. This landmark is a unique southern Louisiana landmark because of its age, quality of restoration, and outstanding collections. Magnolia Mound's mission is to illustrate and interpret the lifestyle of the French Creoles through educational programs, workshops, lectures, festivals, and other special events. The property includes a historic museum house, an open-hearth kitchen, overseer's house, quarter house, crop garden pigeonnier and carriage house. https://www.visitbatonrouge.com/listing/magnolia-mound-plantation-a-brec-facility/244/

Established to provide and sustain a publicly accessible center for the collection, preservation, and interpretation of the material culture, cultural landscapes and vernacular architecture of Louisiana and the Lower Mississippi River Valley. Visitors see how the settlers of Louisiana established an admirable society in spite of great odds, gain insight into the difficulties faced by their ancestors, and learn why Louisianans are a unique people with roots from many parts of the world. Tour 32 historic buildings within the Museum Complex, and the historic Windrush Gardens. https://www.visitbatonrouge.com/listing/lsu-rural-life-museum-%26-windrush-gardens/241/

Built in 1963 when Jimmy Davis was Governor of Louisiana, the Mansion is located on Capitol Lake near the State Capitol. Because so many antebellum mansions were being destroyed by fire and neglect, Gov. and Mrs. Davis instructed the architects to design a mansion in the Greek Revival style, which was the dominant style in Louisiana after 1830. This period marks a distinct departure from earlier Louisiana architecture. The Mansion contains a total of 25,000 square feet of space in three floors and a basement. https://www.visitbatonrouge.com/listing/louisiana-governors-mansion/237/

This Baton Rouge landmark is a commemorative sculpture by the late SU Alumni Frank Hayden, erected on the Southern University Baton Rouge campus to mark the site of the famous exchange on Scott's Bluff that gave the city of Baton Rouge its name, meaning "Red Stick" in French. Wondering what "Baton Rouge" means? The story has it that long ago, this area in Louisiana along the mighty Mississippi River was occupied by two indigenous tribes, the Houma Indian Tribe and the Bayougoula Indian Tribe. To settle a border conflict between them, the tribes used a cypress pole to mark the boundary dividing their hunting grounds at an area now known as Scott’s Bluff. This marker on the east bank of the Mississippi River caught the eye of French-Canadian explorer Pierre Le Moyne d'Iberville while making his way upriver during an exploration in 1699. He and his men saw the bloodied cypress pole on the bluff, adorned with animal parts and stained red from the tribes’ latest haul, and dubbed the area "le bâton rouge," French for "Red Stick". In 1810, the area became part of the colonies and in 1817, the town was officially incorporated as “Baton Rouge.” Locals still lovingly refer to the city as "The Red Stick." https://www.visitbatonrouge.com/listing/the-red-stick-sculpture/2300/

Love at first sight is a common experience for first time visitors to the Garden District. It often goes something like this: they’re traveling up St. Charles Avenue via the streetcar when they get their first glance of the oak tree lined streets and historic homes. You can tell by the pristine look on their faces, that the Garden District has started a new found romance. The romance blooms as the afternoon is spent exploring memories of New Orleans’ antebellum past, gazing at secluded mansions, wandering down the brick lined sidewalks. Its canopy of oak trees is world-famous, while its characteristic gardens of hibiscuses and crepe myrtles, angel trumpets and bougainvillea, make it one of New Orleans' most beautiful neighborhoods. The Garden District has worked its magic again. http://www.experienceneworleans.com/garden-district.html

This street is a tourism destination for a reason. It’s a thoroughfare with an utterly fascinating history, home to some of the oldest bars, family-run restaurants and gay entertainment districts in the country. In short, while there’s plenty to discover off of Bourbon, there’s a lot to discover on the iconic street as well that may surprise those travelers who turn their nose up at all the flashing lights. http://www.frenchquarter.com/bourbon-street/

Facing Jackson Square and flanked by the historic Cabildo on one side and the equally historic Presbytere on the other, St. Louis Cathedral is among the tallest and most imposing structures in the French Quarter. And one of the most recognizable. http://www.neworleansonline.com/directory/location.php?locationID=1288

Historic Jackson Square, originally known in the 18th century as "Place d'Armes," and later renamed in honor of the Battle of New Orleans hero Andrew Jackson, is a timeless attraction in the heart of the French Quarter of New Orleans. This famous landmark facing the Mississippi River is surrounded by historic buildings, including the St. Louis Cathedral, the Presbytere and Cabildo (Louisiana State Museums), not to mention the Lower and Upper Pontalba Apartments, the oldest apartment buildings in the United States. The Pontalba Apartments offer retail shops, museums, galleries and restaurants on the ground level; their second and third floors still house a selection of prestigious apartments. For well over a half-century, there has been an open-air artist colony at Jackson Square. Local artists paint, draw, create portraits, caricatures, and display their work on the square's iron fence. Some have been there for generations! Jackson Square is a favorite site for visitors and locals. The artists, restaurants, museums, merchants and the square itself make Jackson Square one of the French Quarter's most popular destinations. http://www.experienceneworleans.com/jackson-square.html

For a full 13 blocks, Royal Street runs parallel to Bourbon Street, yet this thoroughfare – one of the finest stretches of art galleries, antique stores, wrought iron balconies, restaurants and architecture in the USA – is sometimes almost completely missed by visitors. This is a real shame; beyond the qualities we’ve just described, Royal Street makes a nice counterbalance to the neon and noise of Bourbon. http://www.frenchquarter.com/royal-street-a-block-by-block-guide/

Built in 1899, Ball-Eddleman-McFarland House is Fort Worth's premier example of Queen Anne-style Victorian architecture. Turrets, gables, copper finials, a slate tile roof and a porch of red sandstone and marble highlight the late-Victorian exterior. The interior includes original ornate oak mantles, cornices, coffered ceilings, paneling and parquet floors. The house is available for individual and group tours. https://www.fortworth.com/listings/ball-eddleman-mcfarland-house/5368/

Phillip Johnson, a Kennedy family friend, constructed this stark and simple memorial to the late president. Located in the Dallas County Historical Plaza, this site is visited by hundreds of thousands of people annually. https://www.visitdallas.com/things-to-do/venue/view/6843/John-F-Kennedy-Memorial.html?ttd=1

American Airlines Center is home to the Dallas Mavericks professional basketball team and the Dallas Stars professional hockey team. The AA Center was designed by David M. Schwarz/Architectural Services, Inc. and HKS, Inc. The team combined architecture and technology to give Dallas a beautiful, fan friendly venue with lots of hi-tech touches. https://www.fortworth.com/listings/american-airlines-center/5736/