Casa Talavera Cultural Center
Casa Talavera Cultural Center is located in the La Merced neighborhood of the historic center of Mexico City. The building dates back to either the 16th or early 17th century and was the home of the Marquis de Aguayo. In 1931, it was declared a national monument and in 2002, the space was converted to its present use, administered by the Universidad Autónoma de la Ciudad de México.
The building
The building is located on the corner of Calle Talavera and República del Salvador in the La Merced neighborhood of the historic center of Mexico City.[1][2]
The building has mostly conserved its Mexican Baroque style, including the old murals in the former living quarters upstairs.[2][3][4] The lower level was dedicated to business and other work. Excavations in the building unearthed an old kiln, mill and well. The production of Talavera-type ceramics in the building is the source of its current name.[1][3] The downstairs also has an annex which served at a site museum for both the building and the neighborhood.[3]
The cultural center
The building is currently used as a cultural center, operated by the Universidad Autónoma de la Ciudad de México, and hosts classes, presentation and other activities such as a 2011 exhibit dedicated to the annual re-dressing of Child Jesus images in Mexico, held in relation to the annual “tianguis” market on Calle Talavera which sells all of the supplies related to in preparation for Candlemas (February 2) .[1][3][5]
The site museum contains a collection of pre Hispanic and colonial era ceramics and other artifacts found since excavations were begun in 1987 in the neighborhood.[2] It also include a collection of fine ceramics from both Mexico and abroad.[1]
History
The building dates from the early colonial period, somewhere from the 16th century to early 17th century and is built in Mexican Baroque style.[2] It was built over a pre Hispanic construction in what was the Temazcatlitlan neighborhood of Tenochtitlán.[3]
Later, it became of on the many houses owned by the Marquís of Aguayo, who helped to consolidate Spanish-held lands in the Americas in the early 18th century as well as to expel the French from Texas .[3][4]
The building used to be located alongside of Lake Texcoco, which linked it by water mostly to areas south and east such as Xochimilco and Chalco. As the lake dried, the water link became the La Viga Canal, that served the same purpose. The house has gates to allow canoe traffic to come up to it.[1][2][3]
Until the 1920s, the building served as the Gabino Barreda School and in 1931, it was declared a historic monument. From then until 1980, it served as a warehouse and provided space for various businesses, as well as a shelter for the homeless. In 1980, the building was expropriated by the government.[3] In 2002, the current cultural center was inaugurated.[6]
References
- ^ a b c d e Ciudad de México: Guía para descubrir los encantos de la Ciudad de México. Mexico City: Editorial Océano de México. 2009. pp. 93–94. ISBN 978-607-400-061-0.
- ^ a b c d e "Centro Cultural Casa Talavera Universidad Autónoma de la Ciudad de México". Sistema de Información Cultural. CONACULTA. Retrieved October 23, 2014.
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Centro Cultural Casa Talavera". Guía del Centro Histórico. Government of Mexico City. Retrieved October 23, 2014.
- ^ a b "Centro Cultural Casa Talavera". Festival de México. Archived from the original on June 7, 2014. Retrieved October 23, 2014.
- ^ "Exhibirán vestimentas de Niños Dios en Casa Talavera". NOTIMEX. Mexico City. January 8, 2011.
- ^ "Festejará cinco años de vida el Centro Cultural Casa Talavera". NOTIMEX. Mexico City. October 15, 2007.
- v
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and immediate vicinity
- Administrative buildings
- Metropolitan Cathedral
- Nacional Monte de Piedad
- National Palace
- Old Portal de Mercaderes
- Templo Mayor
- Church of Jesus Nazareno
- Church of San Felipe Neri "La Profesa"
- Church of San Hipólito
- Church of Santa Inés
- Convent of La Merced
- Convent of San Francisco
- Convent of Santa Inés
- Corpus Christi Church
- Historic Synagogue Justo Sierra 71
- Iglesia de San Bernardo
- La Enseñanza Church
- La Santísima Church
- Nuestra Señora de Loreto Church
- Regina Coeli Convent Church
- Royal Convent of Jesús María and Our Lady of Mercy
- Santa Teresa la Antigua
- Santa Veracruz Monastery
- Santo Domingo
- Templo Expiatorio Nacional de San Felipe de Jesús
- Valvanera Cathedral
- Caricature Museum
- Casa Talavera Cultural Center
- Centro Cultural de España
- Colegio de San Ildefonso
- Franz Mayer Museum
- House of the First Print Shop in the Americas
- Interactive Museum of Economics
- José Luis Cuevas Museum
- Museo de Arte Popular
- Museo de Charrería
- Museo de la Secretaría de Hacienda y Crédito Público
- Museo del Estanquillo
- Museo Mural Diego Rivera
- Museo Nacional de Arte
- Museo Nacional de la Estampa
- Museo Nacional de las Culturas
- Museum of Light
- Museum of Mexico City
- Palace of the Inquisition
- Palacio de Minería
- San Pedro y San Pablo College
19°25′41.74″N 99°7′39.03″W / 19.4282611°N 99.1275083°W / 19.4282611; -99.1275083