Mexican Stonehenge

I am always looking at websites and blogs to find new places in Mexico City to visit.  One blog that has provided some ideas is "Gringopotpourri" (listed at the side on my Blog List).  The writer, a young "gringo" who has traveled the world, lived for a period of time in Mexico City, and got to know the city in greater depth than any tourist.  One of the places he mentioned in his blog was the "Espacio Escultórico" (Sculptural Space) on the campus of the University of Mexico.  That has been on my list of places to see, and Wednesday I finally got around to visiting it. 

The National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM for short) is located on the south side of Mexico City on an ancient lava flow known as the Pedregal.  I took the Metrobus down Insurgentes Avenue until I reached the stop for the University Cultural Center.  This is a part of the campus that I had never seen so I had a bit of sightseeing to do even before searching for the Sculptural Space.

The Cultural Center is a separate complex from the main campus.  It includes the University Museum of Contemporary Art.  I am not into contemporary art, so I did not enter, but it is an interesting building.

Next to the museum is a modern sculpture by the famous artist Rufino Tamayo.

Around the museum are several theaters and performance spaces, including Sala Nezahualcoyotl, one of the city's principal venues for classical music concerts.

Just beyond the cultural complex is a sculpture path with numerous large pieces of contemporary sculpture.

To see most of the sculptures close-up you must descend into a depression in the lava flow and follow a path cut into the rough volcanic stone.

This lizard along the path was well camouflaged against the rock.

Looking at the rock formations, you can imagine the flowing lava which spread across this area millennia ago.

As I said, I don't care much for contemporary art, but these large sculptures dotting the rugged landscape were rather impressive and other-worldly.

Sadly, some of the sculptures are marred with graffiti.

After trudging along the rough sculpture path, I then found the entrance to the main objective of this outing, the "Espacio Escultórico".  Happily there was a nicely paved path which led to this enormous sculptural work.  It is located, however, within a large nature reserve protecting the flora and fauna of the lava flow.

The metropolis of Mexico City seems far removed, but on the horizon you can make out the towers of the city.

In fact, zooming through the city's haze, I can see the World Trade Center which is located near my apartment.

The Sculptural Space consists of 64 slanted monoliths forming a circle with a diameter of 393 feet.  The area within the circle is lava bed. The scupture was created in 1979, and was designed to combine art and nature into one space.  It represents the pre-Hispanic cosmos.

It was an interesting escape from the bustle of the big city.