There is no doubt that Gustave Eiffel’s most emblematic monument is the iconic tower that stands in the heart of Paris and bears his surname as its name. However, the French engineer designed many other buildings that are spread throughout the world, such as the internal structure of the Statue of Liberty in New York or the Cathedral of San Marcos in Chile. In the case of Spain, his architecture workshop was behind works such as the Peixateries Velles bridge in Girona or the Puerto de La Luz Market in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.
One of Eiffel’s most notable designs can be found in Mexico, and it is nothing more and nothing less than the only iron palace in the world. It is the Orizaba Palace, and it is the greatest exponent of Art Nouveau in the American country.
What can you visit in Orizaba?
Orizaba, known as the “City of Joyful Waters” is one of the beautiful Magical Towns that are distributed throughout all corners of Mexico. Specifically, this town is located in the geographical center of the state of Veracruz, on the east coast of the country, and is located in a beautiful environment of mountainous landscapes. In fact, it is 1,230 meters above sea level.
Here visitors will be able to enjoy a rich historical, cultural and architectural heritage. For example, stroll along the bridges that cross the Orizaba River, try the local cuisine with chileatole as the star dish or buy some crafts made of ceramics or coffee beans. Among the essential points of the city are the Municipal Palace, the State Art Museum, the Cathedral of San Miguel and its cable car, the third longest in Mexico. Of course, another place that we cannot miss is the Palacio de Hierro, a unique building in the world that leaves all its visitors fascinated.
The history of the Iron Palace of Orizaba
The Iron Palace, the only one of its kind on the planet, was designed by Gustave Eiffel and inaugurated on September 16, 1894. Originally, the building was built to be the headquarters of the city’s Municipal Government, a function it fulfilled for 97 years. Furthermore, as detailed by Turismo de Veracruz, “it is the greatest exponent of Art Nouveau in Mexico and is listed as the only metal palace in the world.” As a curiosity, the building is completely removable, has a total of 823,222 screws and weighs 600 tons.
Currently, in addition to being an architectural icon worth visiting in Orizaba, it has become a cultural center. Thus, the palace houses five different museums: the Football Museum, the Beer Museum, the Raíces de Orizaba Museum, the Interactive Museum and the Rodolfo Neri Vela Planetarium.
Visit the palace: how to get there, schedules and prices
The Iron Palace of Orizaba is located on Madero Street between Poniente 2 and 4, very close to other important points of the city such as the cathedral or the Municipal Palace. In addition, the drive from the city of Veracruz to Orizaba is 1 hour and 45 minutes on the Mexico 150D highway.
The palace hours are from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. For 50 Mexican pesos (2.57 euros) we can buy the Oritour, which allows us to enter 13 museums in the city, including those of the palace.
Source: 20 Minutos
