Borda House, Colonial mansion in Historic Center, Mexico
Borda House is a colonial mansion in the Historic Center of Mexico City, with a facade decorated with carved stonework and wrought iron balconies. The building spans several street addresses and is divided into sections, most of which now operate as shops and commercial spaces.
The building was constructed in 1775 by architect Francisco Antonio Guerrero y Torres for merchant José de la Borda. It combined red tezontle stone with grey sandstone, and it stands as one of the last grand urban palaces built during the colonial period in Mexico City.
Above the main entrance sits a niche with a Virgin statue, a feature common to wealthy colonial homes in Mexico. These religious elements were a visible way for families to express their faith and social standing on the street facade.
The building is located on Madero Street in the downtown area, within easy walking distance of several metro stations. A morning visit tends to work well, as the street is less crowded and the light on the facade is clearest at that time.
The section at number 33 on the street once housed the Salón Rojo, one of the city's first movie theaters, which had an electric escalator in the early 1900s. That kind of mechanical feature was extremely rare in Mexico City at the time.
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