The northern galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1844-1848, 1846-08-18
Volume XI.
MISCELLANEOUS.
THE CITY OF MEXICO.

lrOm Wduuy 1HOIhpSou INOSoieSuohs vi
Mexico, work of peculiar interest atthis
juncture.
The city of Mexico is said to be the finest
built CITY on the American continent. In
some respects it certainly is so. In the
principal streets the houses are all construc-
led according TO the strictest architectural
rules. The foundations of the city were
laid, and the first buildings were erected by
Cortez, who did every thing well which he
altempted-from building house or writing
a couplet to conquering an empire. Many
of the finest buildings in Mexico are still
owned by his descendants. The public
square is said to be unsurpassed by any in
the world il contains some 10 or Is acres
paved with stone. The cathedrel covers
one entire side, the palace another; the wes
tern side is occupied by row of very high
and substantial houses, the second stories of
which roject into the street, the width of the
pavement; the lower stories are occupied
by the principal retail merchants Of the city.
The most of these houses were built by Cor
tez, who with his characteristic sagacity and
an avarice which equally characterized him
in the latter part of his life, selected the best
portion of the city for himself
The Presidents palace, formerly the pal
ace Of the viceroys, is an immense building
Of three stories high, about FIVE hundred feet
in length, and three hundred and fifty wide;
it stands on the site of the palace Montezu-
ma. Ii is difficult TO conceive of SO much
stone and mortar being put together in less
tasteful and imposing shape; it has much
moie the appearance Of a cotton factory or
penitentiary, than what it really is; the win
dows are small and a parapet wall runs
through the whole length Of the building with
nothing to relieve the monotony of its ap-
peaiance except some very Indifferent orna-
mental work in the GENRE; there are no
doors in the front either of the second or
third stories-nothing but disproportionately
small windows. and too many of them; the
thren doors, and there are only three in the
lower story, are destitute of all architectural
beauty or ornament. Only very small part
OF this palace is appropriated to the residence
of the President; and the public officers are
here, including those of the heads Of the diff
erent departments; ministers oil war, foreign
relations, finance and Justice, the public iieas
uIy, &c.
The streets of Mexico are uncommonly
wide, much more so than is necessary, con-
sidering that they are not DISTRACTED, as in
) our cities. by drays and wagons. The side
walks are uncOmmOuly narrow. The streets
, are all paved with round stone; The side
walks With very round fiat ones. The hous-
es on the principal streets are all two and
u three stories high. The elevation of the
/ rooms, from the floor to the ceiling. eighteen
= and twenty feet, gives to a house of two sto-
stories a greater height than we are accus-
toned to see in houses of three.
The roofs are all teraced, and have para
pet walls of three or four feet high, answer
l. ing all the purposes Of breastwork, use
too commonly made of Them in The frequent
revolutions TO which that unfortunate coun-
try seems to be forever destined. The walls
are built Of roueh stones Of all shapes and ST.
zes and large quantities of lime mortar
They are very thick, in ordinary buildings
from two 10 three feet, and iii the larger cd
- i6ces of much greater massiveness. The
ID foundations of most OF the largest buildings
U are made with piles. Even these founda
= lions are very insecure, and it is surprising
u that they are not more so, with such ar
d" immense weight Of stone upon such an un
y steady foundation. The streets cross eacf
other at right angels, dividing the whole city
~ into squares. Each one of these squares il
called street, and has a separate name {
u serious Inconvenience TO a stranger in The
{ city. Instead Of designating the street in i'll
!" whole extent, by one, and numbering the
houses, each side OF every square has diff
erent name, and names which sound tC
protestant ears, very much like violation
} of the third article of the Deealogue: such
IS as the street of Jesus, and the street of the
u Holy Ghost.
!; The cathedral occupies the site of the grea
= idol temple of Montezuma- 1t is FIVE hun
y dred feet long by four hundred and twent,
. wide. ltwould be superfiuous TO add anothe
i. 10 the many descriptions of this famous build
ing which have already been published
Like all the other churches in Mexico, it i
~ ., built in the Gothic style. The walls. of sew
= eral feet thickness, are made Of unhewn sront
:. and lime. Upon entering 1t, one is apt t.
- recall the wild fctions of the Arabian Nights
\, il seems as if the wealth of empires was col
:, lected there. The clergy in Mexico do not
. for obvious reasons, desire that their wealth
: should be made known to its full extent
they are, therefore not disposed to eve yer,
full information upon the subject, or to ex
hbit the gold and silver vessels, vases. pre-
j. cious stones, and other forms Of wealth
h quite enough is exhibited TO strike the be
holder with wonder. The first object tina
J.; prestnts itself on entering the cathedral q
Q the altar, near the centre Of the bullding; !
:, is made of highly wrought aud highly pol
ished silver. and covered with profuslon o
n ornaments of pure gold.-On each side o
n the altar runs blustrade, enclosing space
e about eight feet wide and eighty or hun
dred feet long. The blausters are about lou
d feet high, and four inches thick in the larges
d part; the handrail from six to eight inches
1t wide. Upon the top of this handrail, at th'
y distance of six or eight feet apart. are hui
| If anil hon
G two feet high. All these. the balustrade
e handrail. and images, are made of COM
pound of gold, silver, and copper-mor'
d valuable than silver. Twas told that an offe
" had been made TO take this balusuade, ant
replace it with another of exactly the SAINT
size aud Workmanship of pure silver, an'
n give half million of dollars besides. Their
a is much more of the same balustrade in othe
" parts of the church should think in all o
ID it about three hundred feet.
d As you walk through the building, OF