Arts & Culture · Our pick in Mexico City
Antiguo Colegio de San Ildefonso
Birthplace of muralism
Photo Credit
Image courtesy of © Diego Delso · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia CommonsAbout Antiguo Colegio de San Ildefonso
San Ildefonso, at Justo Sierra 16, was founded in 1582; it housed the first branch of the National Preparatory School and has been a cultural centre since 1994. Its walls keep murals by Diego Rivera, Jean Charlot, Fernando Leal, Fermín Revueltas, Ramón Alva de la Canal, José Clemente Orozco and David Alfaro Siqueiros (CDMX official tourism site).
Why it's on our list
- Orozco’s murals
Opening hours, prices and seasonal openings change, so please check with Antiguo Colegio de San Ildefonso before you go.
Hotels nearby
The closest hotels in our guide to Antiguo Colegio de San Ildefonso, as the crow flies.
- Círculo Mexicano200 m3 min walk
- Gran Hotel de la Ciudad de México600 m8 min walk
- Downtown Mexico700 m8 min walk
What’s nearby
Distances from Antiguo Colegio de San Ildefonso are approximate, measured in a straight line (as the crow flies). Times are approximate too: walking at about 80 metres a minute, cycling at about 12 km/h and driving at typical city-traffic speeds. Traffic and routes vary.
Nearest Metro stations
- AllendeLine 2650 m8 min walk
- LagunillaLine B800 m10 min walk
- TepitoLine B1.0 km13 min walk
Key sights
- The Templo Mayor200 mWalk 3 minCycle 1 minCar or taxi 9 min
- The Zócalo300 mWalk 4 minCycle 2 minCar or taxi 9 min
- Bellas Artes1.1 kmWalk 13 minCycle 5 minCar or taxi 12 min
- The Castillo de Chapultepec5.6 kmCycle 28 minCar or taxi 31 min
- The Museo Nacional de Antropología6.0 kmCycle 30 minCar or taxi 32 min
- The airport (AICM)6.0 kmCycle 30 minCar or taxi 32 min
- The Casa Azul9.6 kmCar or taxi 46 min
Train and coach terminals
- Buenavista station2.5 kmWalk 32 minCycle 13 minCar or taxi 18 min
- TAPO (coaches east)6.1 kmCycle 31 minCar or taxi 33 min
- Observatorio (El Insurgente)8.4 kmCycle 42 minCar or taxi 42 min