The government building is located on the East side of the Zocalo. It is said to have been built on the grounds where Moctezuma’s palace had stood.
Independence Day Celebrations
To celebrate Mexican independence, every year on September 15th at midnight, the president of Mexico rings a bell from the central balcony of the National Palace and shouts: “Viva Mexico!” The crowd gathered in the Zocalo responds: “Viva!”
Diego Rivera Murals
You may enter the building to see the murals that Diego Rivera painted between 1929 and 1952. These colorful murals show Mexican history from prehispanic times to the workers’ movement of the 1930s.
Open every day from 9 am to 5 pm
Admission is free, but you need to leave an ID with the guard at the entrance
Continue your Mexico City Walking Tour
Exiting the Palacio Nacional, turn right, walk to the corner and cross the street. There is a small plaza beside the cathedral, called the Plaza del Seminario. Cross the Plaza and you will find an archaeological site, the Templo Mayor, the “Great Temple” of the Aztecs.
