Mexico City Historic Center

A 2007 grant from WMF and American Express will help the Fundación Centro Histórico revitalize the historic city center of Mexico City through an integrated program of historic preservation, sustainable tourism management, and visitor education.

WMF has been working with the Centro Histórico Foundation since 2004. The Foundation was established by Carlos Slim to preserve historic architecture and revitalize the historic core of Mexico City through sustainable efforts that encourage economic growth and community development.

A key component of the project is adapting the remnants of the Rule Building (a Neoclassical, early-20th-century movie palace badly damaged in the 1985 earthquake) and open space (formerly occupied by the cloister of San Francisco) for use as a visitors’ center and public square. This will serve as a meeting place, a starting point for tourists, and an education and interpretation center for visitors and residents alike.

The grant will support high-tech educational content. The visitors’ center will incorporate natural light and energy-efficient technologies in its design, and use a comprehensive database of historic resources being compiled by WMF for interactive displays, virtual tours, and physical models that will inform about historic sites, architectural history, environmental issues, and urban green spaces.

This project has the potential to serve as a model for the sustainable rehabilitation of other World Heritage Sites in Mexico.

The Historic Center of Mexico City is part of WMF's Sustainable Tourism initiative.


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Other Sustainable Tourism projects:
• St. Paul’s Cathedral
• Delhi Heritage City
• Historic Route 66


Press release


This World Heritage site was included on the 2006 World Monuments Watch list of 100 Most Endangered Sites.


This project is part of the Partners in Preservation initiative, which focuses on preserving historic sites for future generations to enjoy.