Exploring Bosque de Chapultepec, the largest park in Mexico City

I explained in my last post the reasons that made me fall in love with Mexico City. But there was another thing that surprised me during my stay in the Mexican capital: the beauty of its green spaces. I especially enjoyed Bosque de Chapultepec, where I spent a lot of time.

Bosque de Chapultepec (in English, Chapultepec Forest) is the largest urban park in Mexico City. In fact, at 1,700 acres, it’s one of the largest urban parks in Latin America (Chapultepec is even larger than New York City’s famous Central Park).

Since this park is huge, I obviously didn’t explore it entirely, but I did spend several hours walking on its many paths. I even went for a run there a few times.

A bit of history

In addition to being immense, Bosque de Chapultepec is also one of the oldest parks in the city. The name Chapultepec comes from the Nahuatl word “grasshopper hill” The Aztecs considered the site both sacred and strategic. Before the arrival of Europeans, they built aqueducts there to supply drinking water to Tenochtitlan (the remains of this water management system can still be seen today).

Chapultepec Hill was the site of one of the last battles between the Spanish and Cuauhtémoc, the last Aztec emperor. A few centuries later, in 1785, a castle was built on top of the hill, and the surrounding forest became a summer vacation spot for colonial viceroys.

Over the centuries, Bosque de Chapultepec has often been closely linked to several key events in Mexican history. This is what makes it so interesting to visit. Beyond being a magnificent green space around which Mexico City rapidly grew, the park boasts numerous monuments, ruins, nine museums, a zoo, and much more.

The park is divided into four sectors. I only visited two of these, but here’s a brief overview of places not to be missed in Bosque de Chapultepec.

Chapultepec Castle

Located on the hill that gives the place its name (at an altitude of 2,325 metres), Chapultepec Castle was first built as a summer residence for colonial administrators. In 1864, the castle became the official residence of Emperor Maximilian I of Mexico, making it one of the few royal palaces in North America.

Mexican presidents resided here from 1882 to 1934, until President Lázaro Cárdenas decided to convert the castle into a museum.

A visit to the castle is obviously very interesting, as it offers a glimpse into Mexico’s tumultuous political history. From the top of the castle’s ramparts, it is also possible to enjoy beautiful views of Mexico City.

National Museum of Anthropology

If there’s one museum you absolutely must visit during a trip to Mexico City, it’s this one. The Museo Nacional de Antropología is the most visited museum in the country, and it’s easy to see why. This museum is dedicated to the archaeology and history of Mexico’s pre-Hispanic civilizations.

It houses numerous artifacts, works of art, reproductions of temples, and more. The museum is huge and impressive, and provides a great overview of the rich cultures of the first peoples of Mexico and Central America.

Botanical Garden

The Bosque de Chapultepec Botanical Garden isn’t very large, but it’s free to visit. It offers a glimpse into Mexico’s varied climate zones. It features numerous species of cacti, as well as a greenhouse with several orchids.

The lakes

Bosque de Chapultepec is so large that it has a few lakes. The largest are located in sectors one and two of the park, and you can rent paddleboats there to spend a few hours on the water.

The monuments

As I mentioned above, Bosque de Chapultepec is closely linked to several major events in Mexican history. As such, there are numerous monuments there paying tribute to these events or to important figures.

Entering the park through its eastern entrance (the Puerta de los Leones, or Gate of the Lions), you are greeted by the Monumento a los Niños Héroes, a huge monument honouring six teenagers who were killed at the Battle of Chapultepec during the Mexican-American War in 1847.

I was also surprised to see a Canadian totem pole in the park, apparently a gift from Canada to celebrate the anniversary of Mexican independence.

There is so much to see in Bosque de Chapultepec that this is only a brief overview. I didn’t visit the zoo or the Museum of Modern Art located there. But even if your time in Mexico City is limited, a brief visit to this beautiful park is definitely a must!