Palace of the Inquisition, Colonial judicial building in Historic Center, Mexico
The Palace of the Inquisition is a colonial courthouse in the Historic Center featuring a striking facade made of red volcanic stone tezontle. The three-story structure displays hanging arches and contains 24 rooms now used for museum exhibitions about medical history.
The palace was built between 1732 and 1736 by architect Pedro de Arrieta and served as headquarters for the Holy Inquisition until 1812. The building then underwent various transformations before becoming a museum dedicated to the history of medicine.
The building now houses the Museum of Mexican Medicine, showing how healing practices evolved from indigenous times through modern era. Visitors see everyday tools, remedies, and methods that people actually used to care for their health across centuries.
The building sits at the corner of República de Brasil and República de Venezuela streets, easy to locate in the downtown area. Plan enough time to walk through the different exhibition areas, as the museum spans multiple floors and rooms with substantial collections.
The building features an unusual corner design facing Santo Domingo Plaza that earned it the nickname Casa Chata, meaning Flat-faced House. This distinctive architectural choice creates an unexpected appearance from certain angles in the square.
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