Palace of Cortés, Cuernavaca

The Palace of Cortés in Cuernavaca, Mexico, is the oldest colonial building still standing in the Americas. It was built between 1531 and 1535 by the explorer Hernán Cortés and his wife, Doña Juana Zúñiga. The palace mixes Gothic and Mudéjar styles, showing what buildings looked like in the early 1500s.

Originally, the palace was built on the site of an old Aztec center that the Spanish destroyed during the Conquest. Cortés wanted a strong home to show his power over the local people. Though it was important in the 1530s, the family later left because of legal problems.

Over time, the building served many purposes. In the 1700s, it was used as a jail and soldiers’ quarters. During the Mexican War of Independence, important leaders like José María Morelos y Pavón were held there. After the war, it became the government center for the state of Morelos until the late 1900s. It is now a museum called the Museo Regional Cuauhnahuac, sharing stories about the region’s history.

The palace suffered damage in the 2017 Puebla earthquake and closed for repairs. It reopened on March 30, 2023, as the Museo Regional de los Pueblos de Morelos, showing how the area has changed through time.

History

Long ago, a special place for collecting tributes stood where the Palace of Cortés now stands. First, it was used by Tlahuican rulers, and later by the Aztecs after they took control of the area.

In 1526, after the Spanish conquest, the explorer Hernando Cortés destroyed the old building and built a palace for himself. He chose Cuernavaca because the land around it was very fertile. The palace was built like a fortress with thick walls and defensive features, but it was also meant to be a comfortable home with gardens, stables, and more. Cortés added a watchtower when he became an important leader.

Cortés brought his second wife, Doña Juana de Zúñiga, to live there, and their son, Don Martín Cortés, 2nd Marqués del Valle de Oaxaca, was born in the palace. After Cortés passed away in 1547, the palace was inherited by his son. Over time, the building was used for different purposes, including as a workplace and a government building. During the fight for Mexico’s independence, important leaders were held there as prisoners.

In later years, the palace was used by leaders of the area and even served as a home for Emperor Maximilian during his visits. Restorations have helped preserve the palace, and today it remains an important historical site.

The museum

After being restored by the Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia in the 1970s, this building became the Museo Regional Cuauhnahuac. On March 30, 2023, it reopened as the new Museo Regional de Los Pueblos de Morelos. This museum is one of many in Mexico that tell the story of the local area and its important role in the country's history. It shows both history and archaeology because of the items it has, the old building it is in, and the ancient site where the building stands.

The museum has nineteen rooms filled with objects from the history of the state of Morelos, from its earliest people up to today. Many rooms have pieces from long ago, like fossils, maps, and pottery. An important place shown is Xochicalco, but there are also items from other sites. Some rooms are about the time when Spain ruled, with items about daily life, Hernán Cortés, and trade with Asia. Other rooms talk about times after Mexico won its independence, especially about farms that made sugar and events from the Mexican Revolution. There are also displays about modern Morelos, including crafts and traditions.

On the second floor, there is a large painting from 1930 by Diego Rivera called the History of Morelos, Conquest and Revolution. The painting was fixed up in the 1990s with help from private groups and the Centro Nacional de Conservación del Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes. In another room, there are works made by Salvador Tarajona in 1938.

The colonial building

The Palace of Cortés is located on a hill in the middle of Cuernavaca. It was built on the spot where people once paid taxes to local rulers and later to the Aztecs. After the Spanish arrived, they often built important buildings on top of old ones, but most of these were churches. This palace is special because it was built as a home, not a church.

Originally, the palace was small with just four rooms around a courtyard. It was designed like a famous building in Santo Domingo, in the Dominican Republic. Today, the government owns the palace, and it is in good shape. At almost 500 years old, it is the oldest surviving building from the time when Spain ruled Mexico that was built for regular use, not for worship. The palace was made using stones from the area and has parts that could help protect people. A tower was added much later, in the 1800s. Some people say there are secret tunnels under the ground connecting the palace to a nearby church, but no one has ever found them.

The archeological site

The Palace of Cortés archeological site stretches from under the palace to the main square of the city. The palace was built over a special place called a "tlatlocayacalli," where people paid tribute or taxes long ago. This place was very important and fancy, showing the power of the local rulers and later the Aztecs. The Spanish decided to tear it down and build their own palace there instead. You can still see parts of the old Tlahuica/Aztec building in front of the current palace and in its courtyards. It is one of the few palaces from Aztec times that has been dug up by scientists, though not much of the original building is left because Cortés destroyed it.

When people fixed up the palace in the 1970s, scientists led by Jorge Angulo Villaseñor looked around and under the building. They found old walls, floors, burials, and other items from the time of the Tlahuica people and the Spanish colonial period. The best-preserved parts are in front of the building and inside its courtyards. They also found important objects from the Teopanzolco time, hidden under layers from the Aztec period, all buried beneath the colonial building. These finds helped scientists understand the history of the Tlahuica people in Cuernavaca. Since then, more digging has uncovered even more old ruins.