Centro Cultural de España

The Centro Cultural de España, Spain's cultural center in Mexico, occupies an old mansion just behind the Cathedral in Mexico City's historic center. The building was in ruins when the Spanish government took it on, and the king of Spain and the president of Mexico inaugurated the restored center together in 2002.

The land once belonged to Hernán Cortés, who ceded it to a fellow conquistador. Over the centuries the building housed law offices, workshops and shops. The 1985 earthquake severely damaged it, and it stood abandoned until Spain acquired it in 1997 as part of a commitment to save a historic monument in the city. In 2012 the architect Javier Sánchez added a new wing of 4,000 square meters on a lot facing Donceles Street, with a rooftop terrace.

The exhibitions show Mexican and Spanish artists, placing younger, experimental names alongside established ones. This makes the center a good stop for visitors interested in current art from both countries. The building also has a small café upstairs and a gift shop downstairs.