President Porfirio Diaz ordered the construction of this building in the early 1900s. He planned to inaugurate it as part of the celebrations of the centenary of Mexico's independence from Spain. The Revolution broke out in 1910, interrupting the construction, so it was not completed until 1934.
Design
The building's marble Beaux-Arts exterior with Art Nouveau elements reflects the Italian architect Adamo Boari's original plans, whereas the interior, designed by Federico Mariscal, has Art Deco elements.
The theater's main attractions are :
- a Tiffany stained glass stage curtain portraying a panoramic view of the Valley of Mexico with its two volcanos
- murals by Rufino Tamayo, Diego Rivera, David Alfaro Siqueiros and Jose Clemente Orozco
The Fine Arts Palace is foremost a theater but it houses the Palace museum as well as the National Museum of Architecture.
- Open from 10 am every day
- There is a restaurant, a giftshop and an excellent bookstore in the lobby
- Free guided visits to the main theater to see the stained glass curtain are offered from Tuesday to Friday at 1 and 1:30 pm
