The Fountains of Mexico City

Although they may not be as famous as the fountains of Rome, there are many fountains gracing the plazas and parks of Mexico City.

The Alameda Central was established in 1592 and is the oldest public park in the Americas.  The park has several fountains of classical design.

On one of my long walks returning to my apartment from downtown, I passed through the neighborhood of Roma.  One of the district's green spaces is the Plaza de Rio de Janeiro, which features a fountain with a bronze replica of Michelangelo's statue "David" in the center.

Just a few blocks away on Plaza Luis Cabrera is another fountain.

What motivated me to do a blog entry on fountains was a photographic exposition on the Plaza Luis Cabrera showing some of the city's fountains.

Here, current photos of the Plaza de Rio de Janeiro and the Plaza Luis Cabrera are paired with historic photos dating back to when those parks were first created in the early 20th century.

I have seen most of the fountains in the photo exhibition.

The jets of water of this fountain in front of the Monument to the Revolution shoot up from the pavement of the plaza.  On hot afternoons children (and a few adults too) love to run through the fountain.  I have to admit, however, that I have never seen it illuminated at night as it is in  this photograph.

When I take the Metrobus to Alejandro's house, heading far north along Insurgentes Avenue, I pass this monument, "el Monumento a la Raza".  I have never seen a fountain running, but a photo from the 1940s when the monument was constructed shows that, at least originally, there was a fountain.

In the Condesa neighborhood, just a block away from the apartment that I used to rent, is Plaza Popocatépetl with this art deco fountain built in 1927.  Occasionally the water is turned on.