Palacio Postal

The Palacio Postal, also known as the Correo Mayor, stands in the historic center of Mexico City, close to the Palacio de Bellas Artes. One of the most modern buildings of its day, it opened in 1907 under President Porfirio Diaz, after the postal service had become an independent government agency. The Italian architect Adamo Boari designed the building in a highly eclectic style that combines elements of Neo-Plateresque, Art Nouveau, Spanish Renaissance, and Venetian Gothic. The facade stands out for its pale, almost translucent stone surface, ornate iron grilles, and polished brass details made in Italy. Most striking is that the windows on each floor follow a different architectural style, while the recurring arches tie the whole into a unified design. Inside, marble floors, bronze and iron grilles from Florence, and an elaborate staircase with crisscrossing ramps define the look. A meeting room also holds frescoes by Bartolomé Gallotti, painted on a base of 24-karat gold, that depict the history of written communication.

Despite its complex construction, with a steel frame and specially engineered foundations, the building suffered considerable damage in the 1950s. At that time, the Mexican central bank took over a large part of the palace, and additional alterations and added weight put structural stress on the building. These weaknesses were greatly aggravated by the powerful earthquake of 1985. After the bank vacated the premises and the building was declared an artistic monument in 1987, an extensive restoration began in the 1990s. It drew on the architect's original plans and notes, which his daughter provided from Italy. The work included reinforcing the steel beams, removing the additional loads, and reconstructing the destroyed interiors, restoring the building to its original splendor.

Since its opening, the Palacio Postal has operated continuously as a post office. Until 2013, the fourth floor also housed the Naval History Museum, which documented Mexico's maritime history from the beginnings of navigation to the present day. The collection included models, maps, and paintings illustrating important historical events such as the defense of San Juan de Ulúa and the naval battle between the ships Tampico and Guerrero. Today, the building is valued above all as an architectural masterpiece and a working post office that reflects the cultural and technical development of Mexico City.