Plaza de la Constitución is the center of Mexico City. In 1843, General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna ordered the construction of a monument especially dedicated to Mexico’s Independence right at the heart of the Plaza. The base of the column is made from a white marble block. The stone eventually was referred to as the zócalo. This served as the base of one of the bandstands located in the plaza. The term zócalo can also refer to the entire plaza.
El Ángel de la Independencia is a victory column that situated on a roundabout over Paseo de la Reforma in Mexico City. It is more popularly known by its shortened version, El Ángel, but its historical name is Columna de la Independencia. El Ángel was built to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Mexico's War of Independence, celebrated in 1910. The remains of some war heroes were interred at the monument’s base. Serving as a mausoleum as well, it has become one of the most recognizable monuments in Mexico City. With the monument’s almost century-old existence, it has become a venue for both celebration and political protests. Four bronze sculptures can be seen at the base of the column. These sculptures represent Justice, Peace, War, and Law. Beside the column is an assembly of marble statues that commemorate a number of war heroes. An inscription on the base reads, “La Nación a los Héroes de la Independencia.” By this inscription lies a bronze statue of a lion and child, which symbolize the innocence and strength of the youth. The entire structure is 36m high. The statue’s structure was constructed out of steel that has been covered with quarried stone, embellished with palms, rings, and garlands. El angel is located at the west of Chapultepec Park.
Castillo de Chapultepec is a castle that was built atop the Chapultepec Hill located in Mexico City. Chapultepec means "at the grasshopper hill." This monument has been the venue for different historical and cultural milestones such as being a Presidential and Imperial home, a military academy, an observatory, and currently as a museum. It is the only historical castle that is located in North America, and was never occupied by European sovereignty.
